Out of the Box

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OUT OF THE BOX T HINK ABOUT THE CREATIVE TYPES you know.Who comes to mind? Probably someone talented at drawing or painting; maybe a friend or family member who dances or plays an instrument. Some form of the arts, almost certainly. But to help kids thrive, we need to get a little more, well, creative with how we think about creativity. Experts stress that creativity isn’t just about the fine arts, or other forms of expression. Creativity is in how we reach that final product—so it may manifest differently than you expect.

THE RESILIENT CHILD

Dictionary definitions of the adjective creative include words and phrases such as “marked by the ability or power to create,” “imaginative” and “managed so as to get around legal or conventional limits.” Hopefully our kids aren’t

Being creative isn’t just about artistic abilities. It’s much more.

trying to get around legal limits, but that from 6 to 17, find that movement and working aside, those are all qualities that are useful a smaller, more basic task can help their brains no matter what our child’s hobbies and gifts. reset and see things differently, which in turn That’s because creativity is problem-solving, helps to foster more outside-the-box ideas. according to Jason McCoy, a licensed Jacinto says that developing creativclinical social worker, play therapist and art ity can begin in infancy, with eye contact, instructor in Denton. “A child who practices talking to your baby and reading to your finding different solutions for problems feels baby, even if they cannot comprehend the more confident that they have what it takes story or book. “Books like First 100 Words to meet a difficult situation and overcome or Pete the Cat are a good start, or even a it,” says McCoy. “You will see [creativity] in picture book with no text. You can just look a kid who can handle failure and is resilient. at it [with your baby] and describe what That’s the good stuff.” you are seeing.” Jacinto says

Frisco mom Summer these activities help grow the Rose says enrolling her son, Hudson, in a theater TOOL BOX neural pathways that foster creative play. class in elementary When it comes to toys or As they grow, advises school was beneficial in games to boost creativity, McCoy, parents can adopt many ways she did not early childhood expert three creativity-building expect. “He struggled a Antonia Jacinto suggests habits. “I would say the little bit with confidence, the more primitive, the first step is to praise the and he was more shy better. “Books and puzzles process instead of the outand reserved,” Summer are great,” she shares, come,” he says. “Instead of recalls. “We were looking “and so are sensory toys praising the final product, for an interest for him. such as water tables and highlight the effort.” Sports wasn’t his forte, so sand or dry rice. Anything In lieu of offering how we tried theater.” Hudson that is open-ended so you would approach a flourished on stage and in that they can be imagina- problem, offer your child life. His mother contin- tive as they play. And of empathy, McCoy suggests. ues, “It’s given him much course pretend play with “Acknowledging the struggle more confidence.” your child is a great way and then asking questions

This makes sense, to help kids be more cre- using the phrase ‘I wonder’ according to Antonia ative, as parents model is a great tool. So you might Jacinto—early intervention how things work.” say, ‘I wonder what would specialist with My Health, This brings with it the happen if you tried to do this My Resources (MHMR) question of devices, and if a different way?’” He says of Tarrant County— screen time is a total cre- empathy, patience and allowbecause creativity touches ativity killer. “You know, ing the child to work within on every developmental it doesn’t have to be,” the limitations of the situation system in one way or Jacinto says. “If parents is where the creative problemanother. “I work with can sit down with their solving begins to take root. kids on overall develop- child and watch together That means that as much ment,” she explains, “and and then dialogue about as you may want to steer your creativity is part of their what they are seeing, it can child down a different road, emotions, their movements work for them and not don’t take over the activity. and for sure their language against them.” “Let them struggle, because and how they socialize. It’s that is where they get creall connected.” ative,” McCoy explains. “If a kid is trying to draw a person, they will erase THE CREATIVE PROCESS it a few times and try again and again. We see So how do we develop creative thinkers? We that and we have the urge to jump in and fix generally think of the fruits of creativity as it. If you try to fix it, you’ve robbed them of a being tangible achievements. Instead, shift chance to come up with a creative solution.” your thinking to the fruits being the struggle That can be practiced from the time and the process, where creativity is born. your kiddo wakes up in morning through

Dallas mom of five Juleeta Harvey has when they fall asleep. “It can be done in any been thinking about the creative process as a format, any medium, any subject, by simply means of general problem-solving for some asking your child to think of a different way time. “I find if my children are fixating on a to do something,” McCoy points out. “So if problem—like a problem with a friend, let’s they are putting on their shoes, for example, say—I try to first listen, then if they remain you could be silly and say ‘I wonder if you stuck [after talking about it, I] ask them to could do that standing on one foot?’ You’ll pause and do something else for a moment. know it’s working when it seems like they Go for a walk or sweep the floor, as a way to are getting a lot of ideas. When the ideas change things up.” Her sons, ranging in age start flowing, creativity is happening.”