Importance of creativity

Importance of creativity

Maya Angelou once said, ‘You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.’

We all possess the creative spark, even when we think we don’t. All too often, we (narrowly) define creativity as the ability to paint, draw, sing, write or play an instrument. Creativity has been seen as a luxury activity enjoyed almost exclusively by those who are cash and time rich. But the truth is, we’re always creating, we’re all using our imagination to make something new. If you’ve told a whopping great lie, you’ve been creative. If you’ve put your own spin on Whitney Houston’s ‘I will always love you’, you’ve been creative. And if you ever drew glasses and a moustache on the face of the female author of a book you borrowed from your local library, then you’ve definitely been creative.

The need to express ourselves creatively is as important as eating, sleeping, and brushing our teeth. As soon as toddlers are able to communicate, they begin to create. We’ve all come across children who make spaceships out of cardboard boxes, turn bedsheets into tents and pretend a little corner of the playground is a shark-infested ocean. Their minds are constantly inventing new and exciting worlds. In England and Wales, children get to explore their imaginations until the end of Reception year, when they’re five years old. Up to that point, the learning of literacy, numeracy and handwriting is punctuated by periods of free play, where they interact with sand, water, pots, pans, shells – and quite often pine cones. They do that for a whole year and don’t get tired. And then they begin their second year of school and out goes free play.

The need to express ourselves creatively is as important as eating, sleeping, and brushing our teeth. As soon as toddlers are able to communicate, they begin to create. We’ve all come across children who make spaceships out of cardboard boxes, turn bedsheets into tents and pretend a little corner of the playground is a shark-infested ocean. Their minds are constantly inventing new and exciting worlds. In England and Wales, children get to explore their imaginations until the end of Reception year, when they’re five years old. Up to that point, the learning of literacy, numeracy and handwriting is punctuated by periods of free play, where they interact with sand, water, pots, pans, shells – and quite often pine cones. They do that for a whole year and don’t get tired. And then they begin their second year of school and out goes free play.

Creative pursuits should not be seen by hard-pressed head teachers as add-ons to the school curriculum. They are central to the development of every child. Drama, dance and playing a musical instrument support their physical development, while singing is great for confidence-building, self-expression and strengthening the immune system. Arts and crafts develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. But the benefits don’t stop there. Here are ten more reasons why creativity needs to be nurtured taken from The National Youth Council of Ireland:

1. creativity frees the mind in a way that enables a person to absorb knowledge more easily. It makes processing learning more efficient
2. creativity enables alternative ways of thinking
3. it unblocks old patterns or habits of thinking
4. creativity enables empathy
5. creativity connects us to ourselves
6. creativity builds intercultural connections
7. it helps to improve concentration
8. creativity nurtures confidence
9. creativity builds confidence. When they are confident, young people are less easily influenced by others
10. creativity inspires curiosity

There is a lot of expensive gadgetry out there that is marketed to young people, and parents can be enticed into making purchases that are bigger than their wallets. Being creative doesn’t have to break the bank, but parents do need to think outside the box (i.e. be creative) when it comes to stimulating their child’s creativity. Here is another list of ten relatively inexpensive ways to be creative:

1. Create a simple indoor “house” with a length sheet and a few tension rods or chair legs
2. Put together a story bag from items you already have, then take turns pulling one out and telling a story based on what you get from the bag
3. Teach your child how to finger knit (great for travel or rainy, cold days)
4. Draw
5. Do a dot-to-dot puzzle. It doesn’t have to make a picture. Decide what your image is going to be (an animal or household item, for example), and number the outline of the picture
6. Go on a nature scavenger hunt. Make a list that corresponds to the season you’re in
7. Use some of the leaves from activity #6 to make a collage
8. On a collage theme, gather up odd scraps of paper that you don’t need, including newspaper, cut them into shapes and make a collage
9. If you’ve got empty egg boxes, give them to your children and see what they do with them
10. Try your hand at making bread together. You will need strong white or wholemeal flour, dry yeast salt and water

The great thing about introducing creative activities into your routine is that you will begin to rediscover your own creativity, which could be the start of something new and beautiful.

NOPA offers activities that bring out the best in the children we work with and the benefits they see extend beyond the activities themselves: engaging in creative activities changes the way children see themselves and the world around them.