Art Education

Is My Child Creative?

An important element of children’s art education is creativity. Award-winning author and art expert MaryAnn Kohl offers a special watch list for parents.

Observation, the ability to really see, is a valuable part of the visual arts and the art of parenting. How does your child respond to and interact with creative art materials, toys, games and objects in his/her environment? Keep an eye out for the following signs of a creative child and know that you can always build upon these desirable skills by fostering originality and providing your child with creative open-ended activities, such as art classes!

You know your child is developing important creative abilities if your child is …

• Filled with a spirit of wonder and magic
• Open to inner feelings and emotions
• Curious, exploratory and adventurous
• Imaginative with the power to form mental images of what is not actually present
• Intuitive in terms of problem solving without logic
• Independent in his or her thinking – able to find answers on his/her own and question authority
• Able to immerse in meaningful activities
• Motivated to create in new ways instead of accepting things the way they are or have always been
• Drawn to create new, original patterns, which is characteristic of divergent thinking
• Playful when it comes to ideas and innovating with concepts
  
  Creativity is coming center stage and is recognized as an incredibly valuable tool, in addition to a source of personal satisfaction and happiness. To compete in a global economy, children need to be equipped with both the ability to demonstrate creativity, along with a solid educational background. Art classes and activities can help children tap their imaginations and build confidence, too.
  
  Stay tuned for more posts regarding creativity and process art.
  
  Thanks to MaryAnn Kohl (http://www.brightring.com/) for sharing her artful insights!