CREATIVITY AND CHILDREN

It’s no secret that creativity lies within all of us. We all have creativity, believe it or
not. One way or another, we tend to be creative and make things in our own way. Even before
children learn how to speak their own language, they tend to mutter words no one has heard
before by imitating others and this my friend I believe is creativity at its finest. Creativity
comes in all forms, it is free and and everyone can use it to express oneself. This can help
with children’s well-rounded development.
When we think of creativity, we tend to imagine a person holding a paintbrush
stroking it and making wonderful lines out of it, but creativity goes beyond the paintbrush and
it covers so much more. This has something to do with a lot of things. According to Gable,
that creativity is more than just a product, it is a process. It has something to do with your
favorite painting, your favorite book, your favorite view, favorite poems and a lot of more.
Even the way we think and the way we respond to something is creativity itself. Children
has so much creativity in them. They love to be creative and sort things out by themselves. As
educator myself, I tend to understand that each one of us is unique and we respond to
questions differently. Some may respond to a certain question in a silly way and others may
respond in a serious manner. In my years of teaching I have noticed this first-hand. Children
amazed me with their creativity and this is something very nice to delve into developing
more. There’s this once study published in Educational Researcher and Education Nest saying
that exposing children to museums and other art related institutions can help them develop
creativity and a high level of cultural tolerance, historical empathy, better memory and
stronger critical thinking skills. Therefore, educators has a big responsibility in cultivating
creative young minds. It is necessary for us to take into consideration the creativity’s impact
on children’s whole development.
Children’s creativity can be blossomed in an environment designed for them. When
children are given the chance and freedom to self-expression, they’ll be more creative in
doing things.They will be able to do things by themselves and show their feelings through
whatever means they want. A study once noted that creative experiences can help children
express and cope with their feelings. This in turn fosters their mental development and whole
well-being. When we allow creativity in the classroom, we are opening doors of
opportunities for children to try new things, become independent learners and problem-
solvers.

REFERENCES:
Creativity for kids.
https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/psychology/resources/creativity-for-
kids-benefits-tips-for-nurturing-an-innovative-mind/
FOSTERING CREATIVITY. https://www.pbs.org/wholechild/providers/play.html#top
Gable, S. Creativity in Young Children. https://extension.missouri.edu/gh6041#look