Raising Creative Kids: A Mom’s Perspective

Encouraging creativity in my children has not always come easily for me, the type-A, Mom of three that I am.  Just the thought of a gigantic mess as a result of crafting with my kids is something that, at one point in my life, was anxiety inducing, if I’m being honest! 

However, I do have one thing that works to my advantage…I’m a definite minimalist…with decor, with clothing, with my skincare, and yes…with toys.  Bored kids don’t stay bored for long.  Boredom fosters creativity. Left to their own devices, children’s imaginations grow naturally – we’ve witnessed it first-hand in our home, with the unique games and make-believe scenarios they come up with while “bored.” 

From the time they were babies, my husband and I, as parents, requested minimal “toy” gifts for things like birthdays and Christmas to avoid the accumulation and excess that can easily occur.  Instead, we requested that if friends and family insisted on spending money on them, it be on experiences.  I know it can be hard to get everyone on board with this concept, because people LOVE gifting kids toys (let’s be honest, they’re usually the gifts that get the best “reaction”) but we’ve managed to also donate a ton of toys because the toys they’ve received fall by the wayside once the novelty wears off so quickly.  There are a handful of toys that we can put our stamp of approval on as ones that will not only grow with our kids, but facilitate their imaginations and hands-on play for years to come. 

With the holiday season quickly approaching, I implore you to consider things like subscription boxes, art kits, tickets to an event, or even just a day out and quality time as a unique gift that will benefit them in the long run.  

Embracing Messy and Chaotic Beauty

All that being said, I’ve learned to embrace the messy and chaotic beauty that comes from allowing my kids to “do their own thing,” using random and inexpensive mediums to create their own art.  It’s no secret that research has proven time and time again just how beneficial art and creating is when it comes to children’s growth and development.  From improving fine motor skills with paint brushes and crayons to critical thinking ingenuity through sensory perception.  It’s not only good for them… it’s fun! And one of my favorite ways to bond with them. 

At our house, we keep an “art bin”, where our supplies are stored…we save and use things like popsicle sticks and toilet paper rolls to avoid extra spending.  Since Christmas is coming up, I’ll let you in on some of our favorite stocking stuffer ideas… acrylic paints!  You can purchase them at craft stores very affordably and our kids get so excited for new colors!  They’d spend time painting every day if they could and it’s so fun to see their personalities and gifts shine through, that God has bestowed upon them, through their artwork.

Colossians 1:16 tells us that “for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.”  This message has been one that we’ve been able to apply to art in our home.  We share with our children that God has created them to give Him glory – in all things – including their creativity!  After all, He is the Creator of beauty.  There is a serious sense of accomplishment and pride when they know they’re creating to give God glory.  I can’t tell you the amount of magnets holding artwork we have hanging on our fridge currently.  

Celebrating Advent with a Craft

One of our favorite traditions, during the holidays, is celebrating Advent with a craft each day.  We use “The Advent Storybook” by Laura Richie and with each day’s reading, we do a corresponding craft.  For example, Day 1 is called “Creation” and the story comes from Genesis 1-2.  Essentially, it goes through the seven days of creation and ends with everything that was made being perfect.  We give the kids each an oversized piece of paper, and section it off with seven boxes so that they have space in each to draw, color, paint, etc. what they imagine each of the days to look like – light/dark, sky/land, plants/trees, sun/moon, fish/birds, man/woman.

Day 2 is called “A Perfect Life” and goes through Genesis 2-3: The Garden of Eden.  This is one of my favorites each year… to see how uniquely each of our children choose to depict the garden is so neat to see.  The anticipation that builds with each day, each story, and each craft is so much fun for us as a family, and truly helps us prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of our Savior, Jesus’, birth at Christmas. 

The very last story on Day 25 is called “The Promised Son” and comes from Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.  Watching their little hands use their utensils of choice to illustrate the majestic moments in Joseph’s hometown of Bethlehem, baby Jesus being laid into the animals’ manger, wrapped in swaddling cloths, and the great number of heavenly hosts that filled the sky praising God for the birth of the King is something that almost brings me to tears. 

When we complete our book and all of our crafts, we like to display them in our home using a bead garland and clothespins.  I like to save them each year and imagine that someday it will be really sweet to be able to look back on (and even to show them) the way they change and evolve in their art and in their perception of the Biblical stories we read through in our book. It’s been a family tradition that we plan to continue for years to come.  

Facilitating God’s Gift to Us — Creativity

All of that being said, it really is such a gift that God has given us – creativity.  Facilitating its growth in our children is a special task that I hold near and dear, probably because creative outlets in my own life have always been one of my favorite ways to express myself and I want that for my kids.  It’s such a privilege to be able to share with our children the simple lesson that God is the ultimate Creative.  Each sunrise and sunset, each animal, flower, and person, the work of His mighty hand.  He has knit each person together so uniquely and individually in the womb.  Like snowflakes – no two the same – yet so incredibly magnificent…masterpieces.