1) Allow them to be bored – stop entertaining them. This forces them to be creative.
2) Limit use of electronics – while some games are creative, watching television doesn’t help their creativity
3) Don’t solve their problems – ask them questions instead? How can you solve this? Force them to come up with solutions
4) Create an area of the house for play – if you can….whether garage or playroom…allow them a space in which they can call their own and take part in how it looks and what is there.
5) Spend time outdoors – encourage them to play outside. We had a huge forest growing up. We made forts, were forced to be creative.
6) Encourage dress up or costumes – Having super heroes and characters
7) Allow them to dress themselves and/or pick out their clothes – children will wear the same thing every day if they are allowed.
8) Encourage creative/art gifts – When relatives and friends ask what to get them – encourage creative gifts – paper, drawing, paints, crayons, Lego’s, blocks, etc.
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