For parents, teaching their children practical and useful life skills is often more important than teaching them how to think and interact creatively. Although, creativity and creative thinking skills are essential your child’s overall wellbeing.

At ABC Early Childhood Learning Center, we believe that creativity is key! That is why we work with children hands on to ensure that their creative thinking skills are enhanced each day. Check out the list below to get some ideas on how you can incorporate creative thinking activities into your child’s days at home!

Let’s Get Creative!

1. If your child asks for help when doing a homework assignment, do not give them the answer immediately. Let them think and share their ideas before you go ahead and share the answer with them.
2. Play with your kiddo, but make sure to focus in on their lead. Allow them to take the lead and craft their own creative space.
3. Let your kid play outside and get dirty. When it is raining outside, encourage your child to go outside and be free to play around.
4. When you have some free time, let your child use your phone. Give them a tutorial on how to take photos and save them. 
5. If you and your child are just sitting around, ask them to think for a second and imagine that they have a superpower.
6. The next time you take a trip to the zoon or a museum, make sure to download the app for the destination. This gives your child the chance to review where they are going before they even get there.
7. Next time you are driving them home from school, take a new route.
8. Give your child some crayons and paper, in addition to giving them a drawing prompt. Allow them to express their creativity on paper!
9. Each day, try and leave some unstructured time for you child. This time is essential for your child to be creative!
10. Ask your child to help solve a family problem. This allows them to feel like they are helping contribute to the whole family and lets them use their creative thinking skills.
11. The next time there is a day with nice weather, go on a walk with your kiddo and encourage them to collect some items from nature.
12. Gather some of your child’s favorite stuffed animals together and let them play doctor! Turn your home into the doctor’s office for the day.

When you go the grocery store next, pick out some new foods that they have never ate before. Additionally, you can look up some new recipes that you both can cook together.

1. Next time you receive a large package delivered to your house, empty the box and let your child play with it how they want!
2. Praise your child for their effort. This motivates children to use their mind and problem-solving skills.
3. Next time you are baking with your kiddo, let them change the recipe a little bit!
4. Play your child’s favorite game with them but add a little trick to the game and let them think of some new rules.
5. Give your child the opportunity to choose their outfit for the day with clothes that they have never worn together. This will allow your child to feel like they are wearing a brand-new outfit!
6. Next time you are on your phone, show your child recordings of themselves or allow them to record videos of themselves. Additionally, they can pretend to interview you or film a music video.
7. Open-ended questions are a great way to get your child thinking creatively! This is a great way for them to get thinking but also for them to have fun.
8. Finally, choose a fun family story to tell your child and then give them the opportunity to tell the story from another point of view. Not only will this be a fun activity, but it will enhance their skill of being able to recognize alternative perspectives.

Get the childcare you have always wanted for your child. Contact ABC Early Childhood Learning Center at (513) 923-4300 or reach out to us at [email protected]. You can also ask us any questions on this easy online contact form.