How a kitchen disco could get your child a job

Twenty years ago, there was no such thing as social media or apps, let alone influencers, social media managers and app developers. Add to those drone pilots, sustainability managers, content moderators and countless others, and you can start to see how much the job market has changed over a fairly short period. 

It’s impossible for us to imagine the jobs our children might be doing in 20 years, but after listening to our podcast with Jimmy McLaughlin of Jimmy’s Jobs, we know that it’s likely that creativity will feature heavily in future careers. 

If someone mentions creativity, most of us immediately think about art and craft, but creativity is about much more than paint and glue. And we think lots of the activities that people call creative aren’t actually creative at all, they’re much more about following instructions and conforming. If you’re ready to help your child get their creative juices flowing, we’ve got some ideas for you – there isn’t any crafting involved but there is a kitchen disco! 

What is creativity and how do you encourage it? 

The Cambridge dictionary defines creativity as, “The ability to produce or use original and unusual ideas.”[1]  

In an ever-changing world, creativity has been described as a key skill, associated with success in education, work and interactions with others.   

Economists David Gill and Victoria Prowse found those who were more creative as children earned more and had higher levels of education. They suggest that we should find ways to support and encourage creativity in childhood.[2]   

Encouraging creativity involves:[3]  

Giving your child time to develop practical skills – this means time to move and explore new objects or materials, and time to watch as you do things so they can copy and practice.   

Noticing when your child takes a new approach, and commenting so they see that doing something differently or trying a new way is valuable.   

Encouraging your child to think for themselves – this means asking questions that don’t have a right or wrong answer and letting your child decide how they want to do things (as long as it’s safe). A good tip for this is to pause and watch before getting involved in your child’s play, so you can think about what they're thinking as well as what they’re doing – you might find the blocks you thought were a tower are actually a rocket!  

Giving your child a variety of experiences and time to think in new ways – this means you might have an idea about something you will do together, but that you can allow the plans to change as you see your child’s response.  

Listening to your child’s ideas (which might be expressed in words or through actions) – encourage them to develop their ideas, even when other people suggest something else. Building confidence to try out your ideas and sometimes fail is an important part of creativity which you can encourage right from the start. 

Some ideas to try 

Now you know the importance of encouraging creativity, why not try some of these activities? We’ve organised our ideas for babies, toddlers and children – but you know your child, so pick something they’ll love. And don’t forget to look at your activities page for ideas linked to the skills your child is mastering now.   

For babies – go somewhere new  

Being creative involves drawing on experiences and thinking about them in new ways, so for babies visiting somewhere new can build a foundation of knowledge they’ll draw on in future.   

What to do  

• Choose a new place to visit – this doesn’t have to be miles away, it could be a different park, a friend's house, a shop or even just a new route for a walk.   
• Go when your baby is awake and alert and make sure they can see, hear, and feel what is happening around them.   
• Chat to them about what you can see and feel – you could say, “It’s windy today!” or “Look, there’s a dog!”   

For toddlers – follow their lead  

Even with the best intentions we can find ourselves with a fixed idea of how an activity will go, so really think about letting your toddler lead (as long as it’s safe).   

Try the tips below for some child-led play.   

What to do  

• Make sure your toddler can reach their toys if you’re playing inside.   

• If they don’t choose something to do straight away, say something like, “I wonder what we could play with today?”   
• Pause and give them time to choose. If you often set things up for them, they might find this tricky.   
• When they’ve chosen something, watch for a little bit and see what they do.   
• Comment about what they’re doing or copy them so they can see they’re deciding what to do today.   
• Join in and play together for as long as they’re interested. Keep reminding yourself to follow their lead and try to resist the temptation to make suggestions.   
   

For children – make up a story  

As your child’s imagination develops, you’ll see their creativity growing in their play and in the stories they tell, so why not make a story together?   

What to do  

• Find some inspiration for your child, this could be a bag with a few objects or a familiar story that you can change together.   
• Tell them you’re going to make your own story together today.   

• Show them the items in the bag, you could start with one thing at a time, “Let’s make a story about a tiger...”   
• Some children will immediately think of ideas and tell their tale, but if your child is a bit unsure, ask some questions to help them consider who the story is about, where they are, what happens, and then what...   

For everyone – a kitchen disco  

We love a kitchen disco – and everyone can join in! So, why not put on your favourite child-friendly tunes and dance together?  

Encourage creative moves with your comments, “That was a brilliant spin,” or “I didn’t think of a kick at that bit – what a good idea.” You’ll be helping your child to develop their creativity while having lots of fun – the perfect excuse for a kitchen disco, if one were needed! 

To find out more about jobs of the future for your child, listen to our podcast with Jimmy McLaughlin (out on September 19th) here www.podfollow.com/my-fist-five-years

References:  

[1] Cambridge dictionary (undated). Meaning of creativity in English. CREATIVITY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary  

[2] Gill, D., & Prowse, V. (2021). The creativity premium. Institue of Labor Economics. 618-cover (warwick.ac.uk)  

[3] Prowse, V. (2021, 15 November). The long-lasting benefits of childhood creativity. Psychology Today. The Long-Lasting Benefits of Childhood Creativity | Psychology Today