There are many ways to help support your child’s creative development, whether he is five or fifteen years old. The main thing you can do is provide him with opportunities for creative expression and let him know that you value his ideas and imaginative play.
Let Her Experiment with Different Kinds of Media
Encourage your child to explore materials like clay, water, and paper mache’.
Art projects don’t have to be perfect, and they don’t have to make sense to you. Let her experiment with different kinds of media (e.g., markers, crayons, paints), as well as what she can create with them. What matters is that she has the space to explore freely her creative interests.
If your child wants to draw or paint something, in particular, let him do it. It doesn’t matter if the picture makes sense — he might be trying to show his feelings about something instead of explaining it visually for others.
If there is a particular image he wants to draw, ask him if he can tell you about it first. You can try to guess what the picture means but don’t make assumptions — give him the opportunity to tell you the meaning if he wants to.
Ask Your Child About His Day
Some children might be shy about sharing their creative work with you. If this is the case, ask your child about his day.
While he might not open up to you immediately, if you keep asking him questions about how he feels and what is happening in his life, he might eventually start sharing with you some of his thoughts and ideas.
Promote Creative Play in Your Home
Provide your child with ample art supplies and opportunities for artistic expression.
If you see your child engaging in imaginative play such as acting out scenarios with his toys, drawing pictures, or creating something, don’t rush him to finish his play.
Ask him what is happening in the picture he drew or how the characters feel.
In Closing
Don’t forget that there are many ways children can be creative, not just with drawing or painting. They can also be creative in the games they play, the stories they write, or the songs they sing.
By supporting your child’s creative development, you are helping him develop his imagination and intuition.
You can also help him learn to be persistent and patient as he is creating, and you are giving him the opportunity to see that everyday objects around us aren’t simply what they seem.
