It is such a joy watching our children spring into creative moments. These can often be spontaneous and can take on many forms. As a parent, we should support their creative side as it can be stifled so easily with practicality, logic, do the right thing, be reasonable, etc. There is no shortage of sensible reasons why creativity can be stifled.

Of course, everything within reason but children are naturally curious and creative. They love to explore and dream. They are not inhibited to begin with and grow to being free and expressive in their minds and bodies if allowed.

Perhaps you are a creative person? If you are more inclined to demonstrate self-discipline, put things in order, monitor time etc. you may find at times their creative behaviour off putting. This article is to invite you to lighten up in this area. Allow your children to just be and to enjoy the moment.

Here are some reasons why creativity, given plenty of scope enlivens and strengthens the wellbeing and mental health of the child and stimulates amazing learning.

Our child’s spontaneous creativity enlivens and enlightens our adulthood.

Being creative gives the child the right to express themselves. Great authors, painters etc. needed creative time to explore and develop their talents.
Children will make mistakes and this is part of experimentation in being creative. Without error, a child cannot grow and learn in new directions. A child who is celebrated at home for their creativity, feel free to keep exploring. They love the fact that you acknowledge and affirm their creative spirit. This spurs them on.
If a child is stunted with their creativity, they can become quite unhappy and mental health issues can creep into their life. It is not natural for a child to be uncreative.
When children play, they are actually being creative. Encourage it and join in the experience. It will make for better family time.
Never tell a child that their creativity is not satisfactory. There is no assessment or value placed on being creative. By nature, it is free and can develop in any direction. No surprises that teachers are always looking to strengthen the child’s creative disposition. They know that from such a journey comes insightfulness and real learning.
Think about the people you admire. Is creativity part of their world? Often creative people are very expressive and not inhibited by controlled thinking. Don’t be put off by people that seem to see life from different angles. Even your own child may be seeing life from a different lens than your own.
Often, we say, think outside the square. In today’s workforce people who think differently offer a great deal to companies who are not seeking more of the same. The workforce seeks and demands creative employees who can look at problems in different ways.
If a child is encouraged to see the world from practical eyes and not to value creativity their world will shrink and only predictability and reliability will be valued.
A child by nature of being a child sees the world creatively. They are generally not inhibited by nature which gives them the optimum chance to see the world from many angles and to create new dimensions in that world.

We can learn from our child’s spontaneous creativity and this enlivens and enlightens our adulthood which can be driven by order and control. In simple terms it allows us to lighten up!

“Those who do not think outside the box are easily contained.”

— Nicola Manetta