Children naturally have a wild imagination, with a seemingly endless capacity for play and creativity. But if you’re looking for a way to nurture the development of your child’s creativity, we have a few ideas that might help your child’s imagination run wild, whilst also helping them with their other developmental skills.
Messy play has become a popular trend in childrearing and is great for children of all ages. Popular for its role in tactile development, this fun form of play is very sensory based and can easily be done at home. They often follow a theme or a particular scene.
Messy play involves using items with a variety of textures and just letting your child explore their senses. It’s probably best to do this sort of activity outside, or in a padding pool wherein the mess can be contained!
If your child is at the age where they like to put everything in their mouths, do not fret! There are plenty of messy play activities that can be created with edible items, for example creating ‘sand’ out of crumbled biscuits and the ‘sea’ out of blue jelly to create a beach scene. It’s always fun to place in some of their favourite toys, too!
Role play is a big part of life for many children as they grow up. It develops their communication skills and, by placing themselves in the position of another, it gives children the chance to explore and make sense of various situations.
Letting your child dress up in costumes is a great way to unleash their creativity, as it lets them explore different personas and use their imagination.
Role play is also often a collaborative form of play, so it’s a great idea to invite some of their friends to join in the fun and spark their creativity!
Making mistakes and problem solving is a key part of any learning process, no matter your age! The idea of art without direction involves supplying your child with art supplies such as paint or coloured pencils, along with lots of paper and letting them run wild with their imagination! It’s interesting to see what your child will create without prompt or encouragement. This is another activity which might be best to do in old clothes and outside, as your little ones might enjoy getting really stuck in!
