My blog friend, librarian Carol Levin, sent me this post. As a mom, grandmom and teacher, I think it’s worthwhile passing it on to you. Share it with your friends (and kids):
Thought-provoking article:
5 STEPS TO RAISING A CREATIVE CHILD from ImaginationSoup.net
CONDITIONS FOR CREATIVITY
Parents can create environments that encourage creativity. These environments include:
- down time
- failure
- play
- opportunities to invent and create
Blogger, Jillian Riley, suggests in her eBook, Raising a Creative Kid, that the environment include:
- open-ended toys
- pretend play
- creative art spaces
Creating Innovators author, Tony Wagner writes that creative innovators need:
- perseverance
- willingness to experiment and take calculated risks
- tolerance of failure
- the capacity for design thinking
- critical thinking
Sir Ken Robinson, in his famous TEDx talk, books, and articles, says that schools kill creativity. To encourage creative thinking, they’ll need to:
- celebrate curiosity
- provide ample opportunities for divergent thinking (divergent vs. convergent thinking explained here)
- nix so much standardized testing
ARTICLES ABOUT CREATIVITY
Still want to read more about creativity? Here are great online links to keep you busy thinking for awhile.
Creativity 101, Imagination Soup.
How Can You Encourage Your Child’s Creativity? Imagination Soup.
Video Games Help Creativity, USA Today
Do schools kill creativity?, Parenting.com
Top 50 Creativity Posts, My Creative Team
Raising a Creative Kid by Jillian Riley (eBook)
Tips on How to Be Creative by John Cleese (video)
Using Humor to Understand Creativity, Big Think
Read More from this excellent piece …
LAST PIECE OF ADVICE
Don’t worry about being creative. You already are. You don’t have to read any articles, any the books, do any exercises . . . you were born creative and still are. So are your kids. Just relax. Be. Create.
Now go have fun with your creative selves!
Finally, check out this fun idea—Personalized paper doll set from rookiemoms.com.
