A child’s imagination is a wonderful thing. It really is an unending source of power that helps them create their own world and makes them fearless. A child’s imagination also fuels their creativity. But it largely depends on how parents approach their child’s upbringing that determines, whether a child’s creativity will thrive or gradually fade with time.

A study, performed by The Center for Parenting Education, has shown that children are very responsive both to the positive and the negative behaviors of their parents. Moreover, the behavioral patterns they observe in childhood will undoubtedly influence their choices in the future and the way they will raise their children.

Of course, many parents want to see their children successful. But few know that the situations they create for their children when they can successfully acquire and practice a certain skill will leave a huge impact on their behavior and character.

The same with creativity. This phenomenon becomes a part of a person’s nature if nourished and treated the right way in their childhood.

Creativity is not only necessary if a person pursues a career in art. This trait influences the way a person thinks, helping them find and see something from different points of view, making the thinking process more flexible and helping them find different solutions to one problem.

But what are the secrets to raising creative kids?

Let’s take a look.

1. Watch Closely

I remember my mom telling me a story from my childhood, which, of course, I don’t remember myself. She was walking past my room one day and heard me singing a song from a TV series in a foreign language. Although I didn’t realize what I was singing about, I managed to pronounce every sound and every word exactly how it was sung. It’s when she realized that I have an aptitude for music and foreign languages.

This little story changed my life completely: now I’m a translator and content creator, and I have finished a music school, having learned how to play the the piano. Moreover, this story taught me one thing: it’s absolutely vital to watch closely what your child is doing during their play time to recognize, what fuels their creativity.

The lesson here: just take a couple of seconds to observe your child. Which toys do they enjoy playing the most? What are they doing while playing? Talking? Singing? Just one routine situation will help you discover your child’s hidden talents and will give you the idea, what you should do to power their creativity.

2. Minimize the Pressure of the Rules

A study, done by the researchers at the Boston College quite a while ago, has shown that establishing rules isn’t the way to raising creative kids. Reportedly, parents of children with low creativity had over 5 rules regarding homework and schedules like bedtime and play time. On the contrary, parents, whose children had to follow 1 household rule or none whatsoever, were the most creative.

This study shows that minimizing rules is the key to creativity. And although it was done over 2 decades ago, its results are still relevant.

Of course, having your kids follow no rules is a surefire way to raise a completely asocial individual. However, when it comes to the creative process, it’s better not to establish any obstacles that could block your child’s imagination.

Thus, during a creative process, like playing or doing DYIs, let your child explore their creativity and invent ways to cope with the task on their own. Doing homework can also be a creative process. Let your child explore their creative freedom and ask you for assignment help only when they truly need it.

3. Praise the Creator, Not the Creation

If you want to encourage your kid’s creativity, you need to be careful with how you praise their effort. When your child creates something, pay attention to the abilities they applied to make something rather than how good their creation looks.

It may happen that your child feels insecure about their creation. In this case, it’s your job to be honest with your child. Start with telling your child about the benefits of their creation: “You used very beautiful colors” or “It looks very unusual and interesting”. Then, together with your child, try to elaborate on the things your kid might not like about the thing they created. This gives them clear clues, what they need to work on, encouraging them to keep learning and exploring their creativity.

4. Don’t Rush Your Child

When I was growing up, I had a habit of doing my homework really fast, without paying close attention to details or worrying too much about neatness. I just wanted the result, and this continued up until I got a D- for my essay.

My parents noticed the problem right away and explained to me that I need to learn how to enjoy the process rather than focus on the results of my work. I’ve learned my lesson and it helped me become an essay writer and an editor. My job is all about focusing on the process.

Raising creative kids is about having them enjoy the creative process they are involved in. Don’t interrupt the process or get involved too much. Rather, let your child explore this process and learn from it.

5. Nourish Emotional Intelligence

For many people, creativity is the way to express their emotions. Rather, it’s a tool that can help you channel your emotions in the right direction.

Encouraging creativity is a good way to teach your child how to control their emotions. Let them know that the creative process can help them feel better if they are angry or sad. This is one of the ways to plant seeds of emotional intelligence in your children and teach them how to control their emotions.  

6. Set the Example

Lastly, if you want to raise a creative child, be an example for them. Get involved in playing sessions, draw, dance or sing together. This will fuel your child’s interest even more.

However, there’s one rule for you: try to follow your child’s lead. Your kid has a whole imaginary world in their head, in which you can be their companion and aid. Let your child’s creativity lead both of you, and you’ll be amazed at the results. This secret of raising a creative child is all about you being a supportive parent and about being as involved in your child’s interests as you can.

Final Thoughts

Child’s upbringing is a very subjective topic, and parents follow different patterns when it comes to raising their kids. When it comes to creativity, though, it is recommended to be as involved and observant as you can. Creativity will help your children during many important points of their lives, so nourishing it from the very beginning is important for successfully cultivating this trait.