What is creativity? 

If you haven’t yet watched the late Sir Ken Robinson’s Ted Talk ‘Do schools kill creativity?’ I highly recommend you do. It’s fascinating.

Rather poignantly, he argued:

• Like so many educators and parents, I believe all children have an individual capacity for creativity.

• Those who don’t consider themselves to be ‘creative’, have yet to develop the mental framework that allows them to free their inner creative voice.  

• Creativity can feel like the wind, with so much passing beauty, it can come and go gently or with gusto! 

• At the heart of the creative process is a willingness to ‘give things a go’, mistakes are inevitable.

• Problems arise when children avoid challenge because they fear being wrong, so they simply fail to discover the range and depth of their individual creative potential.

• Parents and teachers, together, have the potential to be positive role models here. A reliance on approval from others can stifle your child’s learning capacity and creative confidence.

So, if you want your child to embrace their wild mind, give them the mental space and encouragement to explore their thoughts and ideas.

Their creativity will flourish, but structure is also needed – the ability to harness and manage  ideas. 

How can I prompt my child’s creativity?

This is a common question I get asked a lot by parents looking to prepare their child for the 11-Plus exam.

In fact, many feel it’s the missing ingredient in their child’s literacy work.  

Here are 7 easy ways to boost your child’s creativity:

• Commit to creativity

It’s time to value your child’s creative development, as much as their maths skills. Getting organised by setting aside some time each week for creative activities, and other non-pressurised pursuits will likely benefit your child’s development.  

Although it takes time and effort to nurture your child’s creative confidence, your child will thrive and you’ll be thrilled with the results. 

As Mary Angelou once commented, your child’s creative potential is limitless, but you need to believe it, so your child does, too.

Be Kind to Yourself and Let Go of the Rubbish!

• Let go of expectation!
• Let go of judgement!
• Let go of the need to jump in and correct spelling mistakes!
• Let go of telling yourself that child has the same fears you hold!
• Let go of monitoring you child’s free time!
• Let go - so your child can let go, too

Provide a Little Inspiration...

• High quality images to inspire…. check out the images on the websites: Pobble 365 and Once Upon a Picture
• Discover story video clips from The Literacy Shed
• Check out The New York Times Learning Network for thought-provoking writing prompts
• Try The Big Life Journal to record personal thoughts, ideas, plans and so much more!
• Read books, comics and children’s magazines to inspire your child with stories that evoke inspiration

Hire a Private Tutor to Do The Heavy Lifting

• There’s no doubt that tapping into the expertise of a private tutor is the fastest way to help your child achieve their goals
• Depending on your personal preference, you can look for face-to-face or online sessions
• There are a lot of great coaches out there, ranging from university students to award-winning authors hosting masterclasses. With a coach to suit every personality, learning goal and budget
• If you’re serious about taking your child’s skills to the next level, why wouldn’t you have one?

Mad About Pets

• Pets make us laugh, drive us around the bend with their quirks and melt our hearts...
• So why not use your pet as inspiration for keeping a pet diary? It’s a fun way to make a record of all the fun you have together

Holiday Workshops and Courses

• The holidays can be a great time to get creative with other like-minded individuals. Tap into your child’s interests, then watch their face light up!

Spend Quality Time Outdoors

• Simply getting outside, in all weather, will give your child the sense of space they (and you) need to declutter their minds and think clearly
• Mental space is as important as having the opportunities to write

Read For Pleasure

• Let your child read whatever books they enjoy - even if you don’t think they’re not to your taste.
• Reading is both comforting and relaxing
• Independent book shops will also gladly advise on finding new books. Just remember to be honest about your child’s likes and dislikes, so they can suggest a great book that your child will love!

Drama Lessons

• Enrolling in Drama classes will help foster your child’s independence and confidence. Helping with self-expression, awareness of language and presence
• Having a channel to express creativity in a physical way may have a positive impact on your child’s writing skills.
• Don’t worry if the thought of a group class will make your child squirm, as you can always hire a private Drama coach
• For those who are looking to ace a school interview a skilled Drama coach can be an excellent investment
• Forget robotic answers, it’s all about shining a light on your child’s individuality and achievements
• Relax and let an expert prepare your child to feel confident and ready to shine on interview day

Praise Effort Consistently

• Feedback can inspire your child to take action, enabling them to move a step closer to achieving their goals
• Effective feedback is positive and constructive (it's not telling children how wonderful they are, all the time)
• Effective feedback empowers children to step out of their comfort zone and GROW!

Does your child take on board your feedback?  

1. Next time your child writes a story comment on one or two things they’ve done well.

    2. Next, suggest a next step by lightly presenting it as a challenge, or something they can do           

         next time to be an even better writer.

     3. When your child puts your feedback into action and you acknowledge it, they’ll learn

          that it’s safe to step out of their comfort zone – hooray! 

Use Technology

• If your child is curious technology but you loathe it... fear not, let them get on with it and see it enhance their learning

Striking a balance between online and off-line activity is highly recommended.

A study in 2014 called The Pen is Mightier than the Keyboard, showed that handwritten notes were more effective for information retention than typed notes, even with a smaller quantity of words.  

Einstein understood that making time for play (whatever that may look like for your child) is key to getting their creative juices flowing.

Summary  

• You don’t need to implement all these ideas in one go, unless of course you want to, then go for it…

• Trying just a couple of ideas, consistently, will be much more effective than trying lots sporadically.  

• For consistent high-quality writing, you need to keep feeding your child’s creativity – and let ‘rest and play’ be a part of the plan!