Creativity is one’s ability to imagine novel ideas or solutions and going ahead to implement the ideas. It is one of the prerequisites in solving the world’s complex problems. Creativity in children is brought about by their curiosity and the need to know why things are the way they are; they also experiment and learn through play. The imaginative abilities in the children make them passionate, learn better, enhance more connections between neurons in the brain, as well as improve the mental and physical health.
Sadly to say that creativity is high in young children before they join formal learning. This is because creativity is often associated with rule-bending, law-breaking, and sometimes aggression. Due to this, teachers and parents encourage students to take the secure and safe route in school, workplace, and in their lives. Teachers are opposed to creativity in school, fearing this could disrupt the classroom activities.
One of the reasons to encourage creativity in schools is because it had been known to help the child to get their senses, sensibility, and spirit working together. This means that children need creativity to live a full life.
Another reason for encouraging creativity is because it allows students to learn while at the same time having fun. Children learn without feeling the pressure to learn, for example, during storytelling or a skit session. A combination of curriculum and fun activities gains the children’s interest in learning. Fun activities done in groups promote creative thinking while at the same time, help the students to learn to accept other children’s ideas and contributions.
Creative classrooms also give the children room to express themselves, contrary to conventional teaching methods. Activities like debates, field trips help students to come out of their shells and become a part of the activity. When children contribute to an activity, they get a sense of satisfaction and pride. It also brings a sense of happiness associated with freedom of expression.
Creative activities are also good at triggering a child’s emotional development. This is because they can show off their genuine emotions in a creative way. This helps build up their self-confidence levels.
As earlier said, creativity stimulates imaginative thinking capacity in children. This is like a muscle, and when it is used regularly, it helps children to develop their abilities in solving problems. The use of open-ended questions, debates, and brainstorming sessions opens their world of imaginative thinking so that they come up with creative responses.
Creative activities have been known to reduce stress and anxiety. They bring some sense of joy and help students navigate through the difficult study time. It also improves focus and attention in the classroom.
Besides, creativity boosts problem-solving skills. Children are going to face a complex world with problems that will need solutions. These can only be made where people are allowed to imagine and implement new ideas.
Additionally, one of the most sought quality in a leader is creativity. A leader is a person who is supposed to think outside the box or sometimes through away the box altogether. For children to be better leaders in the future, they must be allowed to dream and imagine.
Furthermore, creativity, alongside curriculum, helps students to be innovative and are also to learn new things. This improves their emotional and social skills, making them good communicators.