A parent is a child’s first teacher and learning starts at home. Parents go above and beyond to give their children the best. In previous blogs, we discussed parenting styles, positive parenting tips, common parenting questions, and promoting various skills in children, such as reading and listening. Today’s blog is about creating a culture of innovation at home.1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Why is it Important to Create a Culture of Innovation at Home?
Creating a culture of innovation for children at home can help to develop valuable skills and habits that can benefit them throughout their lives. In simple words, creating a culture of innovation at home for your child is like planting a seed and providing it with the nutrients it needs to grow—nourish it with the right environment, and it will blossom into something beautiful!
Here’s an example to help you understand this better:
10-year-old Marcus loved to draw and often spent hours doodling in his notebook. One day, his mother, Sarah, noticed his love for art and decided to encourage him to be more innovative.
“Marcus, have you ever thought about using your drawing skills to create something new and exciting?” Sarah asked.
Marcus looked up, intrigued. “What do you mean, Mom?”
“Well, how about you try to create a comic book with your own superhero? You can make up the story and characters, and use your drawings to bring them to life,” Sarah suggested.
Marcus’s eyes lit up with excitement. “That sounds cool! Can I really do that?”
“Of course, you can! You have a great imagination and artistic talent, and I believe in you,” Sarah replied with a smile.
Over the next few weeks, Marcus worked on his comic book, using his creativity to come up with an original story and characters. He experimented with different drawing styles and techniques, and his passion for art grew stronger with each passing day.
When he finally finished his comic book, Marcus was beaming with pride. He showed it to his mom, who was impressed with his creativity and hard work.
“Marcus, you are so innovative and talented! This comic book is amazing, and I’m so proud of you,” Sarah exclaimed.
“Thanks, Mom! This was so much fun. Can I try making something else?” Marcus asked, feeling inspired to keep exploring his creativity.
“Absolutely! You can make anything you want. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll create something that will inspire others too,” Sarah replied, happy to see her son’s confidence and creativity blossom.
Through Sarah’s encouragement, Marcus discovered a new way to express his creativity and develop his artistic skills. By providing him with the freedom to explore and experiment, Sarah helped foster a culture of innovation and creativity within their home.
Tips to Foster Innovation and Creativity at Home
Like Sarah, you can also create a positive and supportive environment that encourages your child to be innovative, creative, and confident in their abilities. Here are some tips that can help you do so.
- Encourage Experimentation: Encourage your children to experiment with new ideas, activities, and hobbies. Provide them with the freedom to explore and the resources to try new things. For example, you could provide your child with materials to build a model car and then offer guidance as they work out how to do it, rather than simply providing the instructions. By allowing them to experiment, children will learn to think for themselves and can develop better problem-solving skills. It can also help them to become more independent and confident in their own decisions and abilities.
- Reward Risk-taking: Celebrate your children’s successes, even if they result from taking (safe!) risks and trying new things that didn’t necessarily work out as planned. For instance, if your child is trying to learn a new skill, like baking a cake, celebrate the effort and the progress made, even if the cake is a bit undercooked. When your child knows that you will celebrate their successes regardless of the outcome, it can give them the courage to take risks, try new things, and step out of their comfort zone. It can also help them to develop resilience in the face of failure and can teach them to view setbacks as learning opportunities.
- Support Their Passions: If your child shows a strong interest in a particular subject, activity, or hobby, support and encourage them to pursue it further. For example, if your child loves to paint, you could take them to an art class or buy them materials to practice with at home. Doing this can help your child feel empowered and capable, and give them the motivation to continue to explore and develop their talents. It can also open the door to new experiences and opportunities that can lead to a fulfilling career later in life.
- Promote Problem-solving: Encourage your children to find creative solutions to problems. Ask them to brainstorm ideas and encourage them to try out different approaches. For example, if your child is struggling with a math problem, ask them to come up with different ways to solve it and then let them experiment with different approaches to find the best solution. This type of problem-solving can encourage your child to think outside of the box and use their imagination to come up with creative solutions. It can also teach them to be independent and take initiative when faced with a problem, instead of relying on others to come up with a solution.
- Foster an Open-minded Environment: Encourage your children to be open-minded and explore different perspectives. For instance, if your child is reading a book about a character who lives in a different country, you could ask them to imagine what it might be like to live in that country and how the character might view the world differently. By exploring different perspectives, your child can gain insight into how people think and feel in different contexts. This can help them to be more understanding and accepting of others, as well as develop their own unique skills and perspectives.
- Create a Supportive Community: Encourage your child to work together with friends and siblings on projects and support each other’s interests. For instance, you can have your child and their siblings work on a group art project, like making a collage or painting a mural. Working together on a project with others can help your child build important skills such as communication, problem-solving, and collaboration. It also encourages them to recognize the value of each other’s ideas, and can help them build strong relationships with their siblings and friends.
- Use Positive Reinforcement: Reward your children for their efforts and successes, rather than solely focusing on outcomes. For instance, when your child accomplishes a difficult task, instead of telling them they are smart, you could praise their effort by saying “I’m so proud of you for working so hard on this!”. Praising effort rather than outcome helps children understand that it’s their perseverance and dedication that leads to success, rather than their innate ability. This fosters a growth mindset, where they learn that they can improve with effort and dedication, rather than believing that their results are predetermined.
Disclaimer: The characters and events portrayed in this blog are fictitious. The information provided on this site is NOT medical advice and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, provide medical or behavioral advice, treat, prevent, or cure any disease, condition, or behavior. You should consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding your child’s development to make a medical diagnosis, determine a treatment for a medical condition, or obtain other related advice.
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References
- Starr, K. Fostering Creativity and Innovation. (2020). Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351989780_Fostering_Creativity_and_Innovation
- Carter, C. 7 Ways to Foster Creativity in Your Kids. (2008). Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/7_ways_to_foster_creativity_in_your_kids
- Life Skills and Citizenship Education Initiative Middle East and North Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.unicef.org/mena/media/6186/file/Twelve%20Core%20Life%20Skills%20for%20MENA_EN.pdf%20.pdf
- Durairaj, A. Here’s How You Can Encourage Creative Thinking in Children. (2019). Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-in/growth-strategies/heres-how-you-can-encourage-creative-thinking-in-children/336883
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, (2016). Unleashing young people’s creativity and innovation : European good practice projects, Publications Office. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/8245
- Bagherpour, T., & Jahanian, R. The Psychology of Creativity Growth and Strategies. (2012). International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2(4). www.hrmars.com/journals. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://hrmars.com/papers_submitted/9047/the-psychology-of-creativity-growth-and-strategies.pdf
- Price-Mitchell, M. Creativity: How Parents Nurture the Evolution of Children’s Ideas. (2017). Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.rootsofaction.com/nurturing-childrens-creativity/
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