Stimulating creativity source: http://www.educatall.com/page/191/Stimulating-creativity.html Being creative has many advantages.

It is beneficial for all to develop the crea tive side of our personality, even more so for children. Being creative does not mean you have to be Pablo Picasso, a star musician, or that you transform every thing you do into a masterpiece. Everyone can develop their own creativity witho ut being an artist. A person who has learned to be more creative will find confl ict resolution to be easier. Finding solutions, expressing one self, self-confid ence, and exploring and finding new ideas are second nature. Just like certain a dults, some children are afraid to use creativity in their daily activities. Som e do not know how to do so. Creativity should not be associated only to art. It should be present in everyth ing we do. Here are a few tricks to stimulate creativity in children and therefo re enrich their days. Tricks and advice Offer a wide range of material and be sure to have enough for everyone. Select t oys which offer several possibilities. Children should never be limited to use t oys a certain way. They must be able to give a toy whatever function they imagin e. For example, a plastic bowl may be a hat, a basket, a drum, a bed for small a nimals, etc. To explore all these options, children must be given sufficient tim e to play. Observe children at play. Watch their movements, their ideas, anticipate what th ey want or would like to do. To do this, sit in a spot which makes it easy to ob serve them without disturbing their play. Find additional material to encourage their ideas and allow them to elaborate their games further as per your observat ions. Keep your interventions brief. Participate in their game only at their req uest. Beware of models which are to be copied. Their widespread use can discourage cre ativity. Evaluate their use and children's personalities. Models, when used corr ectly, can also set the stage for many learning opportunities. Do not forget to plan periods for children to create as they wish. For example, spread large shee ts of paper on the floor and provide children with crayons. You may play music f or added inspiration. Since we are often models for children, it is important we develop our own creat ivity. Show children the benefits of creativity in your own life. This will enco urage children to do the same. Here are a few ways to demonstrate our creativity : create decorative elements with recycled material, change the setup of the day care on a regular basis, wear costumes, and invent new characters... You do not have to be a comedian or good at drawing, there are so many different ways to ad apt creativity to your capacities and personality. Encourage children to use their imagination. Educational outings, books, and son gs are all great sources of inspiration which lead to new ideas and situations.