The Power of Creativity: Building Confident Kids Through Art and Play
In today’s fast-paced world, fostering creativity in children is more important than ever. Art, in particular, is a powerful tool that sparks imagination and builds confidence. As children engage in creative activities, they learn to express themselves, embrace challenges, and develop a strong sense of identity.
The Role of Play in Development:
Dr Peter Gray, a Psychology Professor at Boston College, said “Play is how we are made, how we develop and adjust to change, how we learn and become resilient.”
Play is an essential part of childhood, serving as nature’s classroom where children learn vital life skills. It is an activity that is freely chosen, self-directed, and intrinsically motivated. Through play, children explore their world, experiment with new ideas, and develop resilience in the face of challenges.
Dr. Gray elaborates on this in his book “Free to Learn,” stating, “Play is nature’s way of teaching children how to solve their own problems, control their impulses, modulate their emotions, see from others’ perspectives, negotiate differences, and get along with others as equals.” This perspective underscores the importance of play in fostering emotional and social development.
Encouraging Creativity Through Self-Directed Play
Parents can nurture their children’s creativity and confidence by providing opportunities for self-directed play and experimentation with a wide variety of art and craft supplies. Here at GlueStick, we obviously love a great craft tutorial, but we also love just setting out the craft supply bin and seeing what happens. Kids don’t need step-by-step instructions to be creative. In fact, expecting children to only follow pre-written instructions can lead to boredom, frustration, and feeling like they’re “not good at art” if their work doesn’t look just like the picture. However, allowing children to create objects using supplies and techniques that interest them enhances their problem-solving skills and boosts their self-esteem. As a parent, our role isn’t to tell them what they’re doing is “right” or “wrong,” it’s merely to answer questions and guide them when they ask for help to fulfill their vision.
This is especially true when we encourage children to make their own toys. Playing with supplies and then playing with the results allows them to doubly reap the benefits of unstructured play. Encourage your child to explore different materials, experiment with colors and shapes, and build their own narratives. This kind of play is not only fun but also instrumental in developing a child’s ability to think creatively and independently.
Fostering Lifelong Learning
“There is no substitute for play as a means of learning these skills. They can’t be taught in school.” As Dr. Gray emphasizes, play is irreplaceable in teaching children essential life skills that cannot be taught in traditional educational settings. By fostering an environment that encourages creative play, parents can help their children build confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning.
Looking for ideas to incorporate more unstructured art activities into your family routine? Search for “Process art” in the GlueStick Library for ideas, or visit the Imagination Station to explore a variety of prompts that can spark imaginative creative play.
We can’t wait to see what your kids create.
Abby Allen
Founder and CEO, GlueStick
