How to Raise a Creative Child (Part Two)

Before reading this, you may like to read the first post I wrote on this topic here.

It has taken me a really long time to write Part Two, but it has been forming itself in the back of my mind for a really long time…

Raising a Creative Child is one of my main goals as a parent. By creative, I don’t necessarily mean that I expect my child to become a full-time artist (although I feel like jumping up and down at the thought of that!). I mean, growing up a child who is able to think creatively, problem solve in all aspects of her life, keep herself meaningfully occupied and share her talents with the world.

Here are some more tips on how to do it…

Refuse to buy a Nintendo Wii. Buying this or other computer games will just give your child a reason not to be creative and to make their own fun. If you refuse to buy one, you will not be fighting a losing battle trying to get your children off the Wii! And don’t worry, they will be able to play at their friend’s house.
Keep a huge box full of supplies that the children are allowed to ‘raid’ whenever they like to make whatever they like. I found this overwhelming when Milly was about five. The amount of things she made meant that my house was overloaded with creations like egg carton dinosaurs etc. To combat the clutter, I had a one week rule. The creations were allowed to stay for a week and then they would be put in the recycling bin. A supply box can have paper scraps, fabric scraps, paints, glue, sequins, buttons, crayons, sticks, string, lace, anything you like..
When you see a painting, a sculpture, any piece of art, make a point of showing it to your child. Try and get up close and if you are allowed to touch it, let them. Then ask questions like, “..and how do you think they made this?”, “how would you make something like this?, “how do you think they made it lumpy like that?”, and “shall we try to make something like this at home?”. These questions will encourage your child to think that she CAN make something like it. She will also start to try to problem solve the construction of the piece.
Find out about the art and creative classes in your neighbourhood or city in the school holidays and enrol your children. Perth is the most amazing city. There are loads of art classes for children. Places to check out if you live here are the Fremantle Arts Centre and Canning Arts Group. Both have amazing classes. I love the felted animals class at Fremantle Arts Centre.
Organise your own arty school holiday programme. A few years ago, a girlfriend of mine got together with some other friends and organised a school holiday programme for a group of six of us. On each weekday in the holidays, we either went out to a gallery or some other creative place with the children, or went to someone’s house where they shared their particular expertise and taught the children how to paint or sew or screenprint. This is particularly amazing if you have lots of artist friends!!
Model, model, model. Let your house be a place where you include your children in your creativity whenever possible. Be an ideas person!! Have ideas about everything. This will teach your children good life skills also. If your child comes to you and says, “What shall I do, I am bored?”, get out a big sheet of paper and a marker and with their help write down twenty or more things they could spend their day doing. Then tell them to get a coin and throw it onto the paper. Where it lands they can do this. (They will rarely do the activity that the coin lands on but will choose something else and feel very pleased with themselves for having chosen!!)
Always let your children look over your shoulder and explain to them what you are doing. Stop what you are doing and make it a teachable moment. Get them to help if it is appropriate. When I am sewing Milly loves watching me. I try to stop and tell her what I am doing and why.

I hope these articles have been helpful…

Enjoy your child!

Mia

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