How to Raise Creative Kids

Susan Stump

"Where did he come up with that?" Kids often amaze us with their imaginative ideas, and we should give ourselves a pat on the back for playing a role in this development. Innovative thinking is essential for success in school and in life, and it's our job as parents to nurture our kids' innate desire to be creative. Inventive play fosters original thinking, an asset when children are confronted with new situations. By providing activities that use their creativity and imaginations, we are giving our children an important tool to deal with life down the road.

Give them ideas.
Children come up with things to do on their own, but we also need to provide them with new ideas of interesting activities. Think back to what you did as a kid. Did you write a diary, create elaborate puppet shows, or sing and dance for relatives? Share ideas from your own childhood experiences. Offer creative writing ideas like writing an episode for a favorite television show or writing a new ending to a favorite story. Craft projects offer another outlet for inspiring imaginations. Craft kits, especially those from Curiosity Kits and ALEX, offer a wide variety of unusual and fun projects. They've brought us a long way from the sock puppets of our youth. These manufacturers offer ideas and supplies to make such things as scrapbooks, powerballs, soaps, candy, sun catchers, dolls, planes, dinosaurs, jewelry treasures, and lots of decorative items. Kids can gather ideas from the instructions, and then give the projects their own unique touches.

Keep ideas fresh.
Pick up any parenting magazine and you'll find lots of ideas to get those creative juices flowing in your kids. Search the web and check out craft stores. Keep a journal or file for magazine clippings and ideas as you find them. Stockpile so that you'll know how to answer the whiny "I'm bored" call from your kids.

Give them freedom.
Once you've given your kids some suggestions and supplies, step back and see which they choose and where they go with them. This unstructured play time gives kids an opportunity to stretch their creative muscles. Watch as they incorporate your ideas and branch out on their own.

Set an example.
Chances are, if you are a creative person, your child will be too. You display creativity in your everyday activities like when you reason with a disgruntled child, change lyrics to songs, and maybe even do some interpretive dancing to entertain a toddler. Your children see your silliness and it rubs off on them. You surely use creativity to juggle your and your family's schedules. It's a great idea to point out to your kids how you use creativity in your daily life.

As parents, we always try to do the very best for our kids and provide opportunities that will help them mature into intelligent, capable adults. Nurturing their creative spirits helps them along this road. With their well-developed imaginations, maybe they'll turn it into a yellow brick, pink polka-dotted road with sparkles!


Susan Stump is the mother of two children and the owner of ChildCrafter, Co. - Craft Kits and Subscriptions that Inspire a Child's Imagination. This work-at-home-mom offers a great selection of creative craft kits from ALEX, Quincrafts, and Curiosity Kits from her catalog and website (www.childcrafter.com).

Bridesmaid Gift Etiquette
Melissa Pearl

It is customary for the bride-to-be to give each of her bridesmaids a bridesmaid gift to thank them for their time, effort and investment. Gifts can be presented by the bride-to-be anytime all the bridesmaids are together and have quiet moment. Gifts are also given to the junior bridesmaids and, if appropriate, the flower girl.

Often all the bridesmaids receive the same gift; with the exception of the maid of honor, who is usually given a more extravagant gift than the others since her duties exceed the other bridesmaid's. Each bridesmaid gift can also be a variation on a theme (ex. each a different color necklace) or completely different items for each bridesmaid.

Bridesmaid gifts are often jewelry to wear at the ceremony that can also be worn for years to come. But bridesmaid gifts can also include a photo album / scrapbook, spa gift certificate, or even matching gloves to wear at the wedding ceremony.

There are many opinions when it comes to the price of bridesmaid gifts. Generally gifts are purchased a month or so before the wedding, spending up to $100 per gift. Some consider the gift's price should be in alignment with the cost of the wedding; others feel the more time the bridesmaids have spent helping, the more costly the gift; and still others feel the bride-to-be should spend what she sees fit and can afford.

By giving a gift to her bridesmaids, the bride-to-be is thanking her bridesmaids for all of the time (and money) they have invested in her wedding. Bridesmaid's gifts are her token of appreciation and friendship.

No matter what is chosen for the bridesmaid gift, enclosing a card with a handwritten note or poem makes it even more personal.

Melissa Pearl offers affordable, designer-made pearl and crystal illusion necklaces that are perfect for bridesmaid gifts or bridal shower favors.