How to train a child to be creative?
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Frankly I was a bit taken aback by your header.
Can creativity be trained? I do believe that children by nature are curious learners. And I still stand by the belief that leave the child alone, the child will find ways and means to occupy his time and hence creativity will naturally arise.
Dare I say too many parents have become over-eager in trying to incorporate teaching opportunities in play? We hover over our kids, buy a multitude of educational toys, and then sit with them, directing their play, even if it's meant to be free play.
I remember my own childhood of free play, I had no enrichment classes except for swimming lessons but I was out of the house literally all day long inventing games with my neighbours. I operated my own library, charging my pals for \"overdue\" books and playing waiter/customer with my mother's precious cutlery and ceramic plates.
The best thing of all? Our parents left us alone. They didn't have moolah to buy a multitude of toys and they were only too glad to get us out of their hair to bother about what we are playing with. Till today, I remember a lot of my childhood and sadly, not much of my schooling years!
My own childhood gave me much perspective in my parenting. My kids don't watch TV so they don't expect entertainment at the flick of the switch. Their toys and books are within their reach. If we are home, I pull a book or paper to read, my kids are expected to find something to do.
I try my darnest not to interfere, though sometimes it's hard when they are about to create a huge mess. I only step in if they need help to get paints/brushes if they feel like painting, getting an out of reach toy or wanting me to read a story aloud. They also run in and out of the house playing with their neighbours.
I suppose my kids are creative in a way they know how to make use of their own free time. They don't bother me much (hurrah!) and they certainly use much of their imagination when playing with the little stuff they have. By the way, by 3 year old always stacks up the same sized lego blocks in the same way everytime. She sometimes says it's a castle, and sometimes it's a tall giraffe. That's creativity to me. -
sunflower:
Perhaps you might not want to think of the activity as \"teaching\" him as he might sense pressure and resist it. Take it as a fun activity for bonding and again, let him take the lead. However, try to be sensitive to his needs, do not force if he's really not interested...[/quote]hmm, he doesn't enjoy pretend game, and Hi-5, not quite interested also. yah, you are right, he will be resistance if I try to ask him to do this or do that. he likes to 'lead' me instead.hahha.[quote]That's great! Why don't you play pretend games with him? Suggest some scenarios and let him take the lead to choose what he wants to be. Again, Hi-5 has loads of these pretend stuff and after watching, he might just be interested to be a robot/an astronaut/a submarine etc., which can open up to a whole lot of imaginative and creative play.
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icemountain:
You are right to say that leave the child, and he/she will find something to do. but for my boy, he will sit there doing nothing!Frankly I was a bit taken aback by your header.
Can creativity be trained? I do believe that children by nature are curious learners. And I still stand by the belief that leave the child alone, the child will find ways and means to occupy his time and hence creativity will naturally arise.
Dare I say too many parents have become over-eager in trying to incorporate teaching opportunities in play? We hover over our kids, buy a multitude of educational toys, and then sit with them, directing their play, even if it's meant to be free play.
I remember my own childhood of free play, I had no enrichment classes except for swimming lessons but I was out of the house literally all day long inventing games with my neighbours. I operated my own library, charging my pals for \"overdue\" books and playing waiter/customer with my mother's precious cutlery and ceramic plates.
The best thing of all? Our parents left us alone. They didn't have moolah to buy a multitude of toys and they were only too glad to get us out of their hair to bother about what we are playing with. Till today, I remember a lot of my childhood and sadly, not much of my schooling years!
My own childhood gave me much perspective in my parenting. My kids don't watch TV so they don't expect entertainment at the flick of the switch. Their toys and books are within their reach. If we are home, I pull a book or paper to read, my kids are expected to find something to do.
I try my darnest not to interfere, though sometimes it's hard when they are about to create a huge mess. I only step in if they need help to get paints/brushes if they feel like painting, getting an out of reach toy or wanting me to read a story aloud. They also run in and out of the house playing with their neighbours.
I suppose my kids are creative in a way they know how to make use of their own free time. They don't bother me much (hurrah!) and they certainly use much of their imagination when playing with the little stuff they have. By the way, by 3 year old always stacks up the same sized lego blocks in the same way everytime. She sometimes says it's a castle, and sometimes it's a tall giraffe. That's creativity to me.
I dun have too many educational toy (they are too expensive) for him, so most time, he will have to settle for old toys.
However, I must say this, last time, cildren are left to play on their own (just like we did). we can go to 'mountain' or attap houses or catch spiders. but nowadays, there is none such places, hence, most children are kept at home doing nothing. because of this, and because of their nature curiousity, we parents tend to think that they are 'naughty' when actually, they just want to explore. and becauase they have no place to go, they tend to disturb parents or the caregivers cos they are bored. -
Hi
You are right that we are left alone more when we were kids. Perhaps that and the lack of toys gave us the room to explore our creativity.
What do you mean he does nothing? To me, day dreaming can be a form of creativity too.
Perhaps he's used to having TV/electronic games to occupy his time? If you restrict access and let him be, he would really have to rack his brains for something to do to kill the boredom. You do have to give him time to get used to not having something to entertain him.
Or you can take him out! Though our weather can be a killer, I try to take my brats out in some park or beach. They enjoy fresh air, good exercise and lots of ways to play in the nature. -
hmm, we bring him out sometimes...to beach, etc. but tat's only if he behaves well...if not, we have to stand by our motto: Cannot go out if boy throw tantrum.haha.
Do nothing...just sit around doing nothing lor...dun even know if he is thinking...I just know, he sitting doing NOTHING...haha.
If time allows, I do bring him go cycling though...but that's another story lah...I mean this thread is about how to instill creativity in a child...