What Makes a Child Creative

Most people think that being a creative person is something that you’re born with. You either have it or you don’t. But that’s not entirely true. While some people may be naturally more creative than others, anyone can learn to be more creative if they want to be.

There are certain things that help encourage creativity in children, and if parents and educators are aware of these things, they can help foster a love of creativity in kids at an early age. There are many benefits to creativity in children too! Here are four things that make a child more likely to be creative:

1. They’re Not afraid to Fail

One of the biggest creativity killers is the fear of failure. If a child is always worried about screwing up, they’re not going to want to take chances or experiment with new ideas. So, it’s important to encourage a “failure is okay” attitude in kids.

Kids who don’t care what others think aren’t afraid to speak up and share their creative ideas. They don’t care if they look “stupid” or something like that. They are present with the task at hand and are confident in who they are.

How to help children overcome the fear of failure

If you have noticed your child tends to struggle sharing their ideas or implementing them when asked, there’s a chance they fear failure. Here are some simple ways you can help them overcome that fear.

Focus on Effort rather than Results

Do you praise your child for how smart they are? Or do you praise them for how hard they worked? The latter encourages a child to work hard, even if they aren’t good at that thing yet.

Develop a growth mindset

Remind your child that anything is possible and if they want to do something, they can learn how. We are constantly growing and changing and believing that change is possible helps our children stay our of a fixed mindset

Teach your child that true success comes with lots of failure

Telling your child about how masters became masters through lots and lots of practice can be an encouraging thought and a reason for your child to try and try again, even if they fail.

2. They Have a Good Imagination

A big part of being creative is having a good imagination. Kids who are able to come up with wild, original ideas are more likely to be successful creators. So, if you want your child to be more creative, encourage them to use their imagination as much as possible.

Ways to help develop your child’s imagination

Let’s say, for some reason, your child’s imagination is lacking some. Here are some things you can do to help jumpstart it and get it going again.

Let them get bored

Seriously, boredom is a great motivator of new things. Set up some creative outlets for your child to engage in and then let them get bored enough that they start playing with them. This could be LEGOs, coloring books, or just dolls and make-believe toys.

Read How to Get Your Kid to Play Independently

Take away screens for a while

Screens drain our kids of energy AND imagination. Take a break here and there from screens and let your kids engage with their toys, crayons, and other items.

Read 21 Best Tips to Limit Screen Time

Play Make-Believe Games together

Sometimes, jumping straight into independent play after being out of practice can be tough. A great bridging activity for this is to play make-believe with your child. Try to let them take the lead as much as possible. Let’s move on to the third thing that makes a child creative.

3. They’re not afraid of change

Another thing that stifles creativity is a fear of change. If a child is too set in their ways, they’re not going to be open to new ideas or willing to try new things. So, it’s important to encourage kids to be flexible and adaptable.

How to help your child be adaptable

If your child is afraid of change, you may need to help them become more adaptable. Here are a few tips

Be extra patient

You can’t force creativity. You have to be patient and continue to give opportunities for your child to be creative.

Give your child a head’s up

When activities are changing, give your child a heads up and a 5-minute warning. That can help them prepare for the change and learn to be more adaptable. Another thing that can help your child is by giving them an outline of what is going to happen throughout the day.

4. They’re persistent

Giving up is the enemy of creativity. If a child is able to stick with something even when it’s tough, they’re more likely to come up with something innovative. So, it’s important to encourage kids to be persistent and not give up easily.

How to encourage your child to keep going

The best way to encourage your child to keep going is to be patient, not force it and give them the time and space to explore their creative sides. When I was a kid, I did not care for arts and crafts but loved playing pretend. Remember, the right creative activity will engage your child perfectly.

Read 12 Benefits of Creativity in a Child’s Life
Read 3 Ways To Create a Home Environment For Innovative Kids

Conclusion

These are just a few of the things that make a child more likely to be creative. If you want your child to be more creative, keep these things in mind and encourage them as much as you can.