Having Creative Kids



Today is my birthday and it was a wonderful day! I got a new camera which is SOOOO exciting! I cant wait to share my new pretty pictures with you all! But also got some really amazing handmade gifts from the girls that were just too sweet! They made them all by themselves! Bunny made me a camera out of wood and plastic cups, and Pup make a peg person of me and her with a car for us to ride it! I love them all and it made me think about how awesome it that my girls can create things that they imagine! This made me think about the ways that allow the kids be creative! Here are some of the ways that my girls love to be creative.



1. Making supplies available all day: We have a shelf in the basement that is full of art supplies that the girls are allowed use when they want. In fact many of their best work comes from the afternoons when they are working alone! When the supplies are there all day for them, they can create whenever the mood hits them! That doesnt mean you need to have a whole shelf like I do. Have an art box, or a cubbie, or a bag in a space that makes it visible and inviting to your child! There are a million ideas out there, all you need is to find the one that works for you!

2. Make Expectations Clear: Now having art supplies out there all day can lead to a huge mess and some stressful moments if you dont have a few ground rules. So make sure that you make those rules really clear! You need to show them where things go, how to use them, and where they go when you are done. Show things clearly and slowly, just like you were showing a new presentation! In our house, if things arent cleaned up, they need to come back and do it right away. If they dont take care of things, they dont get to keep them.

3. Have some variety: Kids can get crayons and paper anywhere, and they love those things. But really they want to have more. In fact creativity is more exciting when there are options. Have colored paper, markers, colored pencils, scissors, rulers, glue, pens, fabric, ribbon, buttons, stickers, stamps, paint, recycled materials like bottles and cap, and anything else that seems like it would be fun! Creativity sometime needs something special and having special things on hand makes it all come together!



4. Make Some Space: Room to work is so important. Maybe its the kitchen table, maybe its the playroom, where ever it is kids need their own space to create, leave it out, and work more on it later. You will have mess, and you will have creative kids! It all goes hand in hand. So make sure that your space is open, and kid friendly, and mess proof! Then you will be able to relax, your child can create without worry, and amazing things can happen! Always remember that messes can be cleaned up!

5. Model Creativity: Something that I think helps kids think creatively is to see you being creative too! So jump on Pintrest and find a project that really excites you and do it. Make it as simple or as complicated as you want. Another idea is to make a project with your kids! Practice using your paints, pencils, and other creative materials! Kids love that time with you! If you are having a hard time thinking up ideas, Kiwi Crate can ship amazing project right to you door! Creativity made simple!

6. Display their work: Having a place to really display their creative work makes your kids know that their work is important to you! Make sure that you have a shelf or a place in your home where they can show off all the hard work!

7. Tape....Lots of Tape: One final tip in our house is TAPE! Tape holds everything together! Literally. My kids will really make a million things and they all need tape. Without it creativity is seriously halted. So have rolls and rolls of it! :)



Creativity is an awesome part of life and kids learn so much from all the problem solving and putting things together is so good! It keeps their minds thinking and growing, and it build confidence! Plus having kids that can express themselves in many ways is a really beautiful thing! I love seeing all the things that my girls make everyday! Do you have another idea of making creativity a part of your kids life? Please share it in the comments I would love to hear about your experience! I am also linking up to Montessori Monday! Happy Schooling!