Creativity is broader than we think and new research suggests it starts developing in infancy. Kelly Eden spoke to creativity expert JAMES C KAUFMAN to understand how our children’s creativity develops.
Are some children born with a creative streak and others aren’t? Is your child ‘creative’ only if they’re a talented artist or come up with genius original ideas? If you’ve been wondering that, you’re not alone. Creativity is something researchers have been trying to understand for decades.
James C. Kaufman, a professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut, is one of the leading experts in creativity. He explains that creativity is broader than most people think.
Kaufman says, “you can be creative whether or not you’re a genius or love the arts or are wild and eccentric.”
What is creativity?
There are different categories of creativity. We often think of “Big-c” type creativity – the work of famous artists, writers, and inventors – but when we’re talking about small children (or even ourselves) “Mini-c” creativity is important, too. Kaufman says mini-c is about personally meaningful creativity.
“Mini-c can be a sudden insight that makes you smile or think or wonder. Even if you don’t share it with anyone, mini-c still matters, and it can be the building blocks for more advanced levels of creativity.”
New research has shown that these creativity building blocks can be seen in children less than one year old.
“Thinking creatively – such as using words or ideas in a new way – is something that can happen at any age,” says Kaufman.
Encouraging creativity in our toddlers
Kaufman says encouraging our children’s mini-c development doesn’t take much.
“Giving your child your time and attention so they can have a safe space to express these mini-c thoughts in a playful way can both help them develop and value their own creativity – and be a nice chance to spend time together.”
Allowing time for your child’s creative thinking, wondering, and exploring, is time well spent.
“Some of the best ways to become more creative are how we become better at anything – practice, feedback, passion, and effort,” says Kaufman.
How it benefits children
Creativity is a wonderful trait to develop. “In the short term,” says Kaufman, “being creative is fun – it can make us happy, distract us from being sad or upset, and connect us with other people.”
“In the long term, creativity brings satisfaction, meaning, growth, and self-insight.”
