We live in an achievement-focused world, and many parents feel pressured to ensure their kids are on the path to success. After-school schedules are jam-packed with sports practice, music lessons, and all the activity clubs. Don’t forget those structured “playdates” with carefully curated learning experiences for the younger kids! Does any of this sound familiar? 

Listen, we all want our kids to be well-rounded, but here’s the thing: by packing their schedules so tightly, we might be unintentionally suppressing their most precious asset—their creativity.

Some people think you’re born creative, or you’re not. But that’s so not true. Creativity is like a muscle—you can train and strengthen it. The more kids use their brains creatively, like building Lego creations or thinking up some wild stories, the more creative they become. Creativity isn’t just for artists, either. Engineers design cool inventions, and scientists develop experiments to test their hypotheses.

Crayola and Gerard Puccio, PhD, leader of the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University, agree that creativity is simply "your imagination in action." And it’s about giving kids the space and freedom to play and explore the world around them. 

It’s understandable to feel the pressure to over-structure our kids’ schedules. We want them to experience everything, make friends, and excel in every area. And it’s equally tempting to overthink ways to spark their creativity, filling every moment with purposeful activities. But there can be a middle ground. 

Encourage your kids to explore a variety of programs and activities to discover their passions organically. At the same time, let’s not forget about unstructured play. Those moments of truly “free” time are when their true creativity and imagination often flourish the most. 

Crayola launched its ‘Campaign for Creativity’ to “spark the creative moments children will carry with them for the rest of their lives.” The art supply company started by reuniting adults with their childhood artwork from Crayola’s program for kids. They produced a series of short films that shared how creativity has impacted people’s lives and the importance of encouraging our kids to be creative. 

Crayola also partnered with the Ad Council Research Institute to study creativity. They found that 90% of parents value creativity in their children’s lives. Although parents want their children to use their imagination, they might need a little help. 

More findings from the study:

• Over 60% of parents think their kids need more creative activity or aren't sure.

• 53% of parents believe they must be creative to raise creative kids.

• And 29% say they need help thinking of creative activities for their kids.

So, what’s an easy way to increase your child’s creativity? You guessed it—put away the screens! And that goes for everyone. "Parents want to engage their kids, and being fully present and not distracted by a phone tells kids that this time and activity are meaningful," says Megan Maher, MD, a psychiatrist with Children’s Hospital New Orleans, to Parents.com. 

When kids have the tools and the opportunity to be creative, it often happens without planning. You can create an artsy area in your home with markers, paints, paper, and other supplies. Unstructured play is also super important for developing creativity. Let children explore their environment and experiment with different scenarios and roles to develop their own unique way of thinking. 

Whatever you do, just don’t force it. Provide your kids plenty of screen-free time for unstructured play and resist the urge to micromanage their actions. That’s right, just let them be kids. Instead of worrying about what they’re up to, use that time to do something for yourself, okay? 

How do you encourage your kids’ creativity?

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