Note: This post is sponsored by, and written in collaboration with, Maize Virtual Prep School.
In the information age, creativity has lost some of its value. At our fingertips, we can access any amount of knowledge. Promoting opportunities for a child to be creative allows him or her to dig deeper into an area of interest, to see a new problem to solve, or to take a journey into a new endeavor.
Consider Pablo Picasso or Walt Disney and the impact their creativity made on the arts and culture today. According to Picasso, “Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not.” Dive into an adventure with your child and check out these ideas for creative play.
Begin Journaling – in Kindergarten. Share an inviting notebook or sketchbook, along with pens, crayons, watercolors, and pencils. Several days per week, encourage your child to make a drawing, write a sentence or share something interesting from his day. For young children, it could be a drawing of a new Lego design. Older students might sketch an imagined creature from a mythology book. Kids who enjoy writing could write a list of words describing a historical character from a history lesson. The idea is to let the child drive the journal entries through the inspiration of his daily activities.- Provide a Box of Stuff. Place recycled items in a box, including small boxes, paper scraps, glue, and tape. Odd-shaped cardboard containers, like oatmeal containers, inspire the creation of famous people or architectural masterpieces. Legos, buttons, pipe cleaners, whatever you have available in your home will work! Even old small appliances or unused tools can spark an idea!
Promote Student-Led Activities. Children exhibit a variety of interests, such as cooking, a period in history, or working with technology. Allow your child to dig deeper through student-led activities. A child interested in cooking would enjoy trying foods from other cultures, taking cooking classes, or meeting a chef. Encourage your child to choose a path of discovery and go along for the ride!- Provide Inspirational Pieces to Promote Thinking and Curiosity. Share a light bulb with your child and ask him think about the time period in which it was invented. What was it like? How is life different now? Or, display a painting or sculpture from an artist in your area, then ask him or her to learn about the significance of the artwork and the life of the artist. The possibilities are limitless. Be open to creating new ways to think about everyday objects.
- Integrate Edu-ventures into Learning. Is your student reading about Mark Twain? Take a virtual field trip to Twain’s home. Or travel down the Mississippi by researching the river and creating a map. Have your child learn a monologue written by Twain and perform it for family members.
With some thought, it is easy to create a climate of curiosity and creativity in your home. At Maize Virtual Prep School, we help students discover their love of learning through Enrichment Clubs (K-8) and Expanded Learning (High School). In our Mystery and Logic club, each week the teacher presents a mystery and the student provides a logic puzzle to share with the other students. Kylie, an enthusiastic learner, expressed, “I enjoy the Logic and Mystery Club because I love using my brain. Logic? Definitely. Mystery? Totally. It’s all about using your thinking cap. But what I enjoy most is that I get to interact with all the other kids and help each other solve the problems.”
Considering a virtual school program? We can partner with you to spark the creativity in your child. He just might be a modern-day Walt Disney, looking to be inspired!
