10 Reasons to Create With Kids
If there are children in your life, you have seen first hand that kids are the most creative beings on this planet. They are fearless, think outside the box with ease, aren’t afraid of making messes, and get excited about a ton of projects.
Whenever I’m in a creative slump, I stop and wonder what my kids might like to do. Then we figure out a project and we’re off. And somehow one idea spawns many more. I’ve often heard people say that they aren’t creative or they can’t handle the messes that come with creating with kids.
I’m telling you that it’s worth it to create with kids (despite the mess) and here are ten reasons why.
Benefits for you:
1. You will try new things
Most kids I know are more than willing to try something new when it comes to creating. The simple reason for this is that creating is a form of imaginative play. Who does imaginative play better than kids? I can’t think of anyone either.
Even for those kids with reservations, the idea of creating something artistic or something to play with helps them to peek out of that shell. The sense of pride that comes with touching and feeling something you created does incredible things for self esteem.
In my experience, I tend to model the behaviors of those around me. Meaning if I’m hanging around with an adventuresome group they push me to be more adventurous. Same goes for creativity. If you’re hanging out with kids they’ll push you to be more creative and to try things you otherwise wouldn’t have thought of.
2. You might find a new hobby
In helping your children to create, you might discover something you love as well. Does your son want to try knitting? Do it as a project together. Maybe you’ll both love it. Does your daughter want to learn about building furniture? By going along as her creative buddy, you just might discover something you love.
3. You won’t be able to doubt yourself
As grown-ups, we wear the battle scars of failed experiments, projects gone wrong, and bad decisions. It makes us doubt ourselves. Creativity requires a certain trust in our own decisions that is harder to come by as an adult. Kids KNOW they will make something amazing. They have no self-doubt. Again - you imitate who you surround yourself with. Hanging out with confident folks (kids) makes for a more confident you.
4. You’re spending quality time with them
Have you ever heard anyone look back on their life and wish they hadn’t spent so much time with their kids? I think for most of us, the opposite is true. Work and other commitments force us to spend less quality time with our kids. Even stay-at-home parents don’t spend as much time “with” their kids as you might think. Doing laundry and cooking dinner with children in the same room isn’t the same as spending time with them.
Creating together will create a bond that will last forever.
5. You will have fun
Simply put, creating with kids is just fun. They’re excited. You’re excited. Everyone wins.
Benefits for them:
1. They will be more creative
I can’t think of a single negative thing about helping your kids be more creative. It allows them to have courage and confidence in their abilities going forward. It helps them grow into leaders. If an important adult in a child’s life cheers them on for creating - you’re building a love of creativity into them.
2. They will improve their fine motor skills
Drawing, painting, building, cutting, stitching, sculpting, hammering, tinkering, making - they all require fine motor skills. If it’s fun, they’ll do more of it.
3. They will get to be messy
I know you’re thinking “What?” How exactly is that a benefit? Let me explain. Kids aren’t afraid of messes. Grown-ups usually are. Sometimes the very best creative sessions come from not being afraid to get a little dirty. Creating together is a space where it’s okay for your child to get messy. If messy scares you too much, pick a project that’s a little less messy or do a messy one outside when you have great weather.
The joy on a kid’s face when he is getting messy is one of the wonders of the world.
4. They will become more confident in their abilities
I’ve heard my daughters describe projects we’ve done to their friends. I can hear the pride in their voices. The outcome of the projects doesn’t seem to matter. The failures become funny stories and the successes are sources of pride. All of this creates confidence. We’re teaching our children that failure is okay and success is okay. But trying is the most important part.
The more varied the things you try together, the greater the confidence that they can handle anything that comes their way.
5. They will have more happy memories
My kids talk a lot about the time we made this or the time we made that. A lot of our happy memories together are times we built or sewed or concocted.
Who doesn’t want more happy memories?