February 2008 - Keeping Kids Creative

We still have another month (plus) of cold weather that keeps our children inside and keeps us from booting them outside for their own good or our sanity.

During these cooped up days it is so, so easy for us to give them up to the quiet, mind-numbing babysitters they love. Yes, I am talking about video games, satellite television, the Internet, computer games, hand held electronic games, iPods and the like. This temptation must be resisted, at least part of the time. Children need to continually exercise both their imagination and their creativity, which these past-times do not encourage. Give your children creative options. There are several options out there and in your own home.

It may sound like a cliché, but the truth is the truth. You can go anywhere in a book. Books are still one of the best ways to stimulate a child's imagination. You may have books at home for your children to choose from, but your local library is sure to have something for everyone. It is vital to let children choose their own reading material as long as you don’t find the content objectionable. As always, you have the final say.

You would also be amazed what a child can do with a plain spiral notebook. These simple and inexpensive items can become journals, secret code keepers, writing platforms and anything else a child can imagine. It is also a good idea to keep a good supply of pencils and pens on hand. Look for different colors, metallic (for older children) or anything unusual. The weirder it is to us, the more they are bound to like it.

Drawing pads or just plain white copy paper can keep a child occupied for hours if they are given a variety of things to create with. The list seems endless: crayons, colored pencils, colored pens, markers, stickers, water color paints, regular paints, etc. You can also provide stencils of any kind.

A favorite activity for lots of children comes in the form of a collage box and glue. A collage box can be filled with scraps of colored paper, the holes from a hole puncher, cotton balls, dyed beans, old magazines, or anything a child can glue on a piece of paper and make something they alone created. Be sure to keep items non-toxic for younger children and use liquid school glue or glue sticks.

Most children love to be at least a little dramatic at times -- and others are drama queens and kings nearly all the time. Instead of discouraging this on a cold winter day, make it fun. Suggest that your children do a play. It can be one they make up themselves, or one they found in a book. They will need some help with dress-up clothes and an audience. That is where you come in. Having dress-up items available for younger children all the time is a good idea.

Creativity can blossom in many forms, but play dough and molding clay can be some of the most fun expressions. You can buy play dough or you can make it. On line you can find a recipe easily. If you do not have Internet at home, once again, your library can help. For sculpting activities like these provide plenty of room, cookie cutters of all different shapes and sizes, a butter knife (if age appropriate), etc.

Winter is a down time and should be enjoyed by all, but it doesn't mean it is a time to leave children to their own devices and the electronic devices of the day. Encourage your child's creativity and imagination and you may get the real treat by seeing what your child's mind can create.

Lisa M. Sheldon is a wife, mother, author and Calhoun County resident. She has 12 years experience in early childhood education and her RBA from WVU-P. She is also a columnist and advertising director for The Calhoun Chronicle.