Kids seem to have a natural attraction to creativity, even when they don’t feel creative. As they grow up something happens and that natural desire to create often fades. So many times I have heard youth or adults say, I’m just not creative.
They always get the same answer from me – Not so. Everyone is creative. We can’t help it. We were each created in the image of the Master Creator. I believe this is why we naturally create as children. Think about it – coloring books, building blocks, imaginary friends, playing with trucks and dolls, making up new rules to games; we even get creative when we learn to dress ourselves and pick out two different socks. When my son was a toddler, he decided that the VCR made a nice Matchbox car garage – Now that’s creativity! And a post for another day.
I once had a student get really upset because she couldn’t figure out her math problem. She looked up at me and exclaimed, “I’m just stupid.”
“No you’re not – I bet you are really good at other things.”
“ART” She exclaimed, “But my dad says I’ll never make any money at that.”
I will admit that art is a limited field and jobs are hard to come by, but I hope that as parents we will be careful not to squelch our children’s God given creative spirits. Encouraging creativity and applauding their creative efforts can instill self-esteem and lead to a variety of other interests.
So turn off the TV and video games and turn on some creativity. Keep art supplies easily accessible. You never know – playing with all those colors may lead to a career in design, but it could just as well lead to an interest in chemistry. And a child who learns today how to properly handle scissors and paper could be a surgeon in the making. Never stop encouraging creativity.