5 Reasons Why You Should Raise Innovative And Creative Kids

There are several benefits to raising innovative and creative kids. Innovative kids are more likely to be happy adults, cope with the changes the future of work will bring, and get through the hard challenges life brings.

Before we get into the reasons why kids should be innovative and creative, let’s break down some definitions. 

What Are Innovation And Creativity? 

Even though they are different words, I use them almost interchangeably. However, there is a difference. You may think of creativity as art such as drawing cool pictures, but it is more than that. Creativity is thinking of new ideas. Innovation is applying those same ideas to complex problems. Innovation is using creativity to implement lasting, positive change.

When I say we should foster a spirit of innovation in our children, I am referring to a child’s ability to critically think through a situation, brainstorm new solutions, and implement new ideas. Innovation isn’t just drawing a picture. You have to activate the most creative parts of your brain to have a new idea and bring it to fruition. 

Are Kids Born Creative?

Creativity is a natural talent given to every single child. There was a research experiment that tested 5 year old’s imagination and over 98% of them fell into the category of genius. 5 years later at 10, that percentage dropped to 30%. By the time they were adults only 2% of them qualified as creative geniuses.

We can all learn to be more creative by developing healthy habits that support creative thought. Ask your children open-ended questions and let them explore possibilities. Losing our creativity is a learned behavior. 

We can teach our kids to be more innovative simply by giving them the space and environment to do so. The younger they start, the better.

With that said, here are the reasons I want to share with you why I believe kids should be raised to be innovative.

Reason #1: Innovative Kids Will Grow Up To Be Wealthier

When you are innovative you can cope better with the rapidly changing future. The future of work is changing. While technology is advancing more quickly than we ever imagined, it’s uncertain how jobs will look in the future. There is certainly a lot of uncertainty. How can our children thrive in uncertain situations?

The only certainty is that change is coming and is inevitable. By fostering innovation in your child’s life, you’ll equip them to see great opportunities, non-traditional career paths, and infinite possibilities when it comes to the future. Maybe they’ll run their own innovative companies and provide jobs for others?

Reason #2: Innovative Kids Grow Up More Resilient

Resilience is the ability to overcome setbacks. Hard things will happen to your child. It’s a fact of life. After all, when setbacks happen and things get hard, thinking of solutions to get through something hard helps people have hope. 

Research indicates that being a creative problem solver helps kids be more innovative. Accordingly, Innovating gives people the small beacon of optimism that things are going to eventually be okay. This brings me to the next reason I believe kids should be raised to be innovative.

Reason #3: Innovative Kids Bring Hope To Hard Problems.

The world has a crazy amount of problems. None of them will be solved by doing what we’ve always done. Today’s kids will be the key to finding the solutions to some of the biggest problems threatening our world. 

Climate change. Politics. Poverty. Homelessness. Mental Health Crises. And many more. These problems need fresh perspectives paired with expert opinions. These problems need innovative solutions and none of them will happen overnight. But maybe your innovative kid will be the leader of the greatest changes our world needs to see.

Reason #4: Innovative Kids Are Happier, More Confident Adults.

Earlier we talked about how life is hard and how innovative kids are more resilient. Well, this also means they are more likely to see the silver lining in hard times and have a positive attitude. This skill will last through the years and serve them well into adulthood.

With depression and anxiety being at an all-time high, and only projected to get worse, it’s important to offset that trajectory with practices and habits of innovation and creativity. On top of being stronger, more resilient kids, they will have the confidence that there is a way to move forward in any situation. This makes them more confident as they go through life.

Reason #5: It’s Fun!

It isn’t hard to get started and it’s a fun way to make memories. You can raise your kids to foster innovation and creativity and have a great time doing it. Fostering a family dynamic that inspires innovation and creativity doesn’t take a lot of extra work. It’s easy to start the habits of innovation.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why you should raise innovative kids. Innovation is a must-have skill for our children. I’ve listed only 5 here. In the coming articles, I will break down more and more why, how, and what research has been done in these areas.