Tips for igniting creative thinking in children by Jen Lara

In the US, we tend to wait until our students are in college or graduate school to explicitly teach creative thinking.  In fact, most collegiate programs save these valuable courses for their entrepreneurial & business majors or their engineering students.  Why save this rich form of thinking for only business and engineering students?  Why wait until students are 18 years or older to ignite and foster creative thinking?

The past and current research shows the prime time to enhance creative thinking is in elementary school, followed by middle and high school.   

On May 8th,2014, Jen Lara will lead a workshop on FosteringCreative Thinking at Greenberries.  Thisinteractive workshop, designed for parents and their allies, will delve intothe five main attributes of creative thinking, plus will share practical,evidence-based strategies that can be immediately used with children and teensin order to grow and foster their creative thinking skills.

In the meantime, consider practicing a few of the tips suggested by researcher-psychologist Kyung Hee Kim.  Her groundbreaking research (released in 2010) discusses the decline in creative thinking skills in the US. 

http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2010/10/the-decline-of-creativity-in-the-united-states-5-questions-for-educational-psychologist-kyung-hee-kim/

Tips for igniting creative thinking in children:

1.    Travel – Seeing new scenery and different cultures opens up a child’s perspective.

2.    Allow alone time – Creativity research shows that children, like adults, need “incubation” time to allow creative ideas to grow and simmer.

3.    Find a mentor – Longitudinal research shows that most creative individuals have at least one or more key mentors in their life.  If your child is passionate about an interest, why not find them a suitable mentor?

4.    Encourage curiosity – Asking questions, seeking answers, and allowing time to wonder are all part of the human experience and enhance creative thinking. 

5.    Teach in non-traditional ways – Creativity thrives in non-traditional school (or home) settings that promote open-ended projects, child/student choice, and the ability to follow one’s interests.

See you on May 8^th for more!

Jen