Bond with your children by creating with them. When we create with our children, we learn more about what they are thinking and feeling. Equally, we have an opportunity to share knowledge and learn together with them. These experiences help to build relationships at the same time as creating shared memories!

Encourage your children to try new activities, adventure to new places, design with new materials, read new stories etc. The more we can feed a child’s curiosity, the more potential they have for original idea making. Ideas emerge as we make new connections across our knowledge, memories and beliefs!

Be present and listen to the ideas that children share. Facilitate the development of their thought processes by asking questions that invite them to extend, evaluate and rationalise their thinking. By asking questions, rather than enforcing adult perspectives, we help children to safely make their own creative choices.

Create time and diverse opportunities for your children to play. Play is critical to help children develop the cognitive capabilities needed for creative thinking, for example, envisioning new worlds, sharing ideas and learning from mistakes. Ultimately, play invites children to have fun and discover what is unique about them!

Encourage your child to ask lots of different questions and ask them questions too! Asking questions is a key skill for creative problem solving. The better we are at asking questions, the more we are able unlock different perspectives and create divergent lines of enquiry to find ideas.

A parent’s love has been linked to creating the conditions necessary to unlock a child’s creative practice. Creating a safe and supportive space for a child to freely express themselves and indulge their curiosity is critical in helping a child to build their creative confidence. Encourage and celebrate your child’s creativity!