Brain Builders

Moulding A Creative Thinker 

• Build and expand on your child's natural interests
• Encourage them to come up with their own solutions to problems
• Use periods of high activity as well as quiet times as learning times
• Keep the rules of thinking games, like 20 questions or eye spy, loose so that all ages can join in
• Work alongside children, rather than with them, when making and creating, to avoid the temptation to take over
• Encourage children to think about the consequences of their not-so-good behaviour and creative ways of changing it
• Keep records of your child's interests, ideas and questions and follow through on helping them investigate answers

Help Children Develop Their Creative Side 

1. STIMULATE THEIR NATURAL INTERESTS.
   Children are quick to develop their own interests and fascinations. If your child loves trains, for example, take him to a train station. Talk to him about how trains work. Go to the library and find out about the history of trains.
   
   Then, using boxes, create a train together. Work out how the boxes will stay together, and talk about all the parts a train needs to run. Instead of telling him how to make it, encourage him to come up with his own solutions. This method works for any topic from trains to princesses to dinosaurs.
2. GET THEM MOVING
   Many preschoolers learn best when they are moving. Make up an obstacle course and try to work out different ways to move around it. Or you could have them pretend to be everyday objects - a toaster with toast inside, a lawnmower or a vacuum cleaner. Talk about what their bodies need to show and ask them questions such as "How do you suck up dirt?" or "Where do I plug you in?" Put on some music and get them to find different ways to move - slowly or quickly, loudly and softly.
3. PLAY GUESSING GAMES
   Guessing games are great for helping your child develop good questioning skills. You can focus on a particular subject such as zoo animals, farm animals or transport. Take turns to choose an object or animal and the rest of the family asks questions to find out what it is. Make the rules looser than the original "20 questions" game so any type of question can be used.
4. PROVIDE CREATIVE MATERIALS
   Provide your child with easy access to creative materials. Set up ground rules such as suitable areas and times to be messy and creative, and then let him loose with paper, pens, crayons, play dough, water play, pipe cleaners and music. Some of these items can be available at any time and others are better suited to be set up by you first. (Especially paints and water!)
   
   Children can use these items to experiment just for the fun of it. While it is good for them to use these independently, it can also be a good opportunity to expand their problem-solving skills. Talk about how to
   construct different shapes, make new colours or fill a page with a picture. Work alongside them rather than with them - you could make your own creation. This prevents you from taking over, and they will extend their thinking by watching you.
5. USE MISBEHAVIOUR TO PROMOTE CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
   If you have a child who likes to unscrew the handles off cupboards, or throw plates out a second-storey window, it is likely you already have a creative thinker. Stimulate his creative side positively by getting him to find a creative consequence for his actions. Brainstorm a range of solutions together and select the most appropriate one. This not only establishes good thought processes; it also provides him with an opportunity to assess the appropriate consequence for his behaviour.
6. RECORD IDEAS TOGETHER
   If you come across a problem or subject your child is fascinated about, make a chart of all the different things he wants to know. Record his ideas and thoughts, and any questions he has. Encourage your child to look deeper than "I want to know about..." to what he wants to find out specifically. For example, if he is interested in how the body works, what does he really want to know? Does he want to know how we use food, or what our bones are made from? Asking your children specific questions teaches them to direct their interest. It also helps them find the answers they really want.
   
   You can also use this method to solve a problem such as how to remember to put shoes away, or pack their bag for preschool.
7. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF?
   This is a good game to play in a car. Ask children to predict what might happen in a particular problem. These can range from serious problems such as, "What would happen if no one put their rubbish in a bin?" to "What would happen if you grew wings?" Brainstorm as many outcomes as possible, from serious to outlandish ideas.
8. ENCOURAGE YOUR KIDS
   When encouraging creativity it is good to stay relaxed. Too much supervision and direction takes all the fun out of being creative. However, it can be good to encourage children to finish any projects once they have started. It can be tempting to take over when
   a child is flagging, but persevering will give him the most satisfaction in the end.
   
   Perhaps the biggest way in which you can encourage creativity is to be prepared to accept even very strange ideas. Some of the biggest breakthroughs in science and technology came from way-out ideas. As you encourage your child to be creative, you are encouraging him to question his world and take responsibility for his own learning.