I originally wrote this article for Open Equal Free

Thinking outside of the box begins in childhood.

Just give children a box of crayons and off they go creating artwork from their imagination. Adults are often amazed at how they connect things together, and we all benefit from the creativity that children offer us. Check out a few simple tips that will help your little one’s creativity increase.

1. Offer “Limitless” Toys

Legos and blocks are great ways to help children build shapes or objects of any shape and size. Let the children choose what they make by offering a toy without the prescribed instructions that come with it. These toys will not only help the imagination grow but will also improve the motor skills of  young children.

2. Play with Words

Try different writing exercises that your children will enjoy. Have your little ones pretend to be a specific animal, and then, ask your children to write down what it’s like to be that animal. Have your children cut out words from magazines that describe themselves and the paste them onto paper. Ask your children to invent their own fairytale or make up a story together by going back and forth. The possibilities are endless!

3. Understand the Different Kinds of Creativity

Some children will love to sing, build, draw, write, or dance. Observe what your girl or boy enjoys doing and encourage that in both an individual setting and a group setting by offering him/her a class. Your child will benefit from being around new kids that are interested in the same things.

4. Encourage. Encourage. Encourage

Make your children feel secure when they are being creative around you, even in the smallest of moments. If your children are singing, offer a compliment. If it’s not a good time for your children to make a lot of noise, instead of telling your children to be silent, just try to distract them with something new. With time the children’s confidence will grow, and their security in their creativity will be greatly influential in their adult years. As we all know, today’s children are tomorrow’s writers, singers, engineers, and artists!

Creative Commons Love:  mattdoucette on Flickr.com