Web Exclusive: 6 Ways To Boost Your Child’s Creativity

In the May 2009 issue of Young Parents, we asked parents and experts if arts enrichment helps or hurts budding artists. In this web exclusive, Little Art Bug Workshop founder Jaelle Ang shares what you can do to ignite your child's creative spark at home.

1. Be a role model. Instead of saying “I can’t draw a straight line without a ruler”, say “ I'd love to see what I can create with some clay”. It may seem cliched but the process of creativity is indeed far more important than the product. And do not just pay lip service, your child needs to see you taking risks, experimenting and making things, and he will follow your model!

2. Show you prefer your child’s original work over anything is copied, traced or simply coloured in. Solving problems while creating a work of art encourages the mindset of solving problems creatively in all areas of life.

3. Verbalise why you “like” a picture. “Pretty” is not particularly helpful. Say, for example, “The colours are so cool and they remind me of a cold day by the pool” or “There are straight and curvy lines and they look good together”. This kind of phrases can help to expand your child’s vocabulary. They also reinforce what is already being done on an intuitive level.

More creative tips!