How unusual art can spark your child’s creativity... and maybe save the world!
An inspirational British artist called Michelle Reader uses creativity to raise awareness of the environmental issues that face all of us today – while also creating astonishingly beautiful sculptures out of other people’s rubbish. Sharing her artwork with your child is a fantastic way to let their imagination run wild, and embrace the kind of creative problem solving the next generation will use to tackle some of the challenges the world is facing.
Realistic-looking animals ready to soar, expressive sculptures of people and even moving models (including a dinosaur!) can all be seen on Michelle Reader’s website, and they are all made of recycling and rubbish. Find more information and a gallery of her work here.
Seeing this kind of work can be a wonderful way to inspire children (and adults) as the idea of what might be possible is stretched before your eyes. Seeing a duck which looks like it is in the middle of a loud “quack” created out of ‘rubbish’ like coffee cups, beads and scrap paper is such a wonderful way to show your child what’s possible when they let their imagination run free!
When we think of creativity, we might imagine paint palettes and canvas, dance, or rich stories, but creativity extends far beyond these things. A creative person is a flexible thinker, who can think of new ideas or follow thoughts to discover new things. Creativity involves solving problems, inventing, experimenting and reshaping our expectations.
As a planet, we need inventive solutions to many, many challenges, so we are going to need creative solutions from all walks of life. Scientists, engineers, artists, teachers, governments and many more professions need to be creative in their daily work, now more than ever.
This is the world our children will inherit, and the pace of change is rapid. This means we don’t know for sure what kinds of jobs will be available when they become adults. Our children’s lives will be shaped by technologies we’ve not yet dreamed of, or by events we can’t possibly begin to plan for, so how can we ensure they are as prepared as possible for adulthood? We can encourage creativity.
Being able to challenge ideas, create something original and compelling, or navigate complex relationships all benefit from people thinking creatively about a problem rather than following a set, pre-planned process.
Children are, often, naturally creative. They are curious, flexible and full of ideas already, so as parents our role is to allow this instinct to flourish.
Nurturing creativity
Studies have shown, time and time again, that creativity is best nurtured in a more relaxed, non-judgmental environment.[1, 2] Avoiding directing your child when they are playing will help them to develop their creativity. You can do this in small ways by giving them time to daydream, letting them make their own decisions (when it is safe to do so) and encouraging them to express their opinions or emotions freely.[1]
Psychologist Theresa Amabile showed that when people (children and adults) thought they were going to be judged on what they made, their work was less creative than those who were simply making something with no expectations of a reward.[2]
This is one of the reasons that allowing your children as much time as possible to play freely, without expectations for a specific outcome, is such a powerful way to build creativity. Try to focus your praise on your child’s creative thinking or interesting solutions, rather than what they end up with.
When you can, find moments throughout the day to be silly and playful, to build something with no end-product in mind or to tell rambling, silly stories with no clear end and to see what happens when you combine some of the recycling sitting next to the door.
Perhaps sharing exciting or interesting artwork without any pressure to respond or be inspired in any specific way will be one of the things you do to support your child’s creativity. It might even get you feeling a bit creative yourself!
References:
[1] Harrington, D. M., Block, J. H., & Block, J. (1987). ‘Testing aspects of Carl Rogers’s theory of creative environments: Child-rearing antecedents of creative potential in young adolescents’. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 851-856.
[2] Hennessey, B., & Amabile, T. (2010). ‘Creativity’. Annual Review of Psychology, 61, 569-598.