Fostering creativity is essential in the early education and development of young children. The creative arts help to develop young children’s senses, nurture imagination, and also develop problem-solving, thinking and gross and fine motor skills.
At premium childcare provider, Only About Children (Oac) creativity is an vital element in their Oac GROW early learning curriculum. Samantha Todd, Director at the Oac Coogee – Brook St campus believes there are three elements that are required to foster creativity across the developmental stages of nursery, toddler and pre-schools children.
Some creative activities for children of all ages:
Nursery – Oac Grow create focuses on music and movement to encourage sensory exploration
- Introduce creative mediums such as painting and dough to create and play with
- Blowing bubbles are a great way to encourage wonder and movement
- Provide different textures, mirrors and surfaces within reach for a multi-sensory experience
- Engage nursery children in music and movement and talk to them to encourage development
Toddler – Oac Grow create focusses on curiosity, imagination and the ‘why’ question – Role playing which will encourage imagination
- Paint and draw using different mediums such as paint, dough, pencils and glitter
- Listen to music and encourage singing and dancing
- Experimentation with different textures and art materials – make a box car or a play garden and have a discovery box within reach
Pre-school – Oac Grow create focuses on scientific thinking and active involvement
- Create a cubby house
- Develop and herb/small plant garden and encourage children to plant, water and tend to it – Dress ups
- Science experiments such as tornado in a bottle, ivory soap and play with colour dyes
Tips provided by Coogee Campus Director Samantha Todd
How do you encourage creativity in your children? Tell us below…
