Imagination isn’t just something your child uses to talk to their imaginary friend or create a world out of building blocks. Imagination will serve your child throughout their life, as they test theories in science classes, write essays in college and pitch ideas in meetings at their first job.
Encourage free play - This is creativity without an end goal. Free play can be accomplished with things like blocks or sand; play objects that are designed with no specific purpose in mind. This means your child can create whatever they like – a fort, a house, a sandcastle – and are not reined in by what they object is “meant” to be used for.
Read stories together - Reading tales about the natural world, historical fiction or myths and legends; reading with your child lets them imagine a world outside your home. Even better? Create stories together! Not only does this give you a one-on-one connection with your child, it allows them to drive the narrative, using their imagination to take the story wherever they choose.
Make art – Tactile play is important for children, and giving them free rein over their work is even more so. Encourage finger painting, drawing, building, even sculpting, and prepare to get messy!
Get outside – We all know that fresh air is good for kids, but there’s another great reason to get them outdoors: it’s great for building curiosity. From the colors of a sunrise, to the crunch of leaves in fall, to the experience of picking fruit straight from the source; being in nature is eye-opening for kids, as they get to use all their senses.
Make music - Whether you turn on the radio, or make your own homemade orchestra, tuning your kids ear to music from a young age can open up a world of opportunities for them. Not only can music relieve stress by just listening to it, if they getting moving to the music they can reap even more benefits. Beyond exercising their body, learning to exercise their brains and recognize beats, rhythms and lyrics is just another way to expand their range of thinking.
Go on adventures - This is a great way to expand your child’s viewpoint.