Getting your kids to explore their creativity doesn’t have to be complicated or boring! There are several fun ways you can encourage your kids to think and act creatively. From toys and games to spark their imagination with dress-up, the sky’s the limit! Here are a few fun exercises and activities you can use to improve your child’s creative thinking.
Board games aren’t just for having a ton of fun as a family. Many of these games encourage players to get creative while learning useful skills like communication and problem-solving.
Pictionary is a classic drawing game that’s all about being colorful and creative and can result in hours of hilarity. You can also use Story Cubes, a fun way to tell random stories by rolling dice.
Doodle challenges can be oodles of fun, and they’re a fantastic way to boost your creativity. Even adult artists frequently use challenges like this to keep their own creative juices flowing.
Start by giving your kids a random doodle – just put sharpie to paper and make a quick, simple squiggle or doodle. Then, give your kids the stack of your random doodles and have them draw full pictures that incorporate them.
If you want to make it more interesting, give them a short phrase, such as “Tough as Nails” to go with it. The kids then have to draw a picture from your doodle that portrays that phrase. It’s both fun and challenging!
Kids love to transform themselves into different characters, superheroes, princesses, or cops and robbers. They can become anyone they want to be. They can save the dogs from evil Dr. Cat, have tea with Count Teddy, or fight imaginary dragons alongside their trusted barking steed.
A child’s imagination can be a beautiful thing. Grab an old sheet, make a cape and a mask, and encourage your brave young hero – or heroine – to save the world.
And yes, if your kid wants to play a supervillain, there’s nothing wrong with that. Just because Thor is the ‘good guy,’ it doesn’t mean that Loki’s sharp wit and smarts are evil. There’s nothing wrong with being different.
Did you know that paper, glue, tape, toilet rolls, blocks, toothpicks, and even mini-marshmallows and spaghetti can all be used to encourage creativity? Building things is a fantastic way to get your children to explore their creativity and develop problem-solving skills.
Give them challenges – build a playground using toilet rolls and straws or use paper and tape to create a marble roller coaster. Build a semi-structurally sound tower using only spaghetti and marshmallows.
These are actual STEAM, or Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics activities. They encourage children to think of creative solutions while having fun.
Don’t be afraid to join in, either. There are fantastic paper roller coasters out there – why don’t you take up the challenge and see if you can’t build a better one as a family!
