How to Encourage Creativity in Kids
Open-ended play, a creative space, praise for ideas, not just results, and boredom as a creative spark.
June 20, 2026 · 4 min read
Creativity isn't just about art. It's the ability to imagine, invent, experiment and solve problems in new ways. Every child is creative, but creativity grows best with the right mix of time, space, materials and encouragement. Here's how to nurture it.
What creativity looks like
- Drawing, painting and crafts
- Pretend play and storytelling
- Building with blocks or boxes
- Making up songs and dances
- Inventing games and rules
- Coming up with new ways to solve problems
- Asking "What if…?"
Give them time
Creativity needs unstructured time. Busy schedules can squeeze it out. Try to leave some free time every day with no plans and no screens. Boredom often comes right before a creative idea.
Set up a creative space
You don't need a dedicated art room. A shelf, a box or a cupboard works:
- Paper of different sizes and colors
- Crayons, pencils, markers and paint
- Scissors, glue and tape
- Recycled materials: boxes, tubes and egg cartons
- Fabric scraps, buttons and wool
- Playdough
- Coloring pages for when they want a starting point
Keep it accessible so children can create whenever inspiration strikes.
Open-ended vs closed activities
- Closed activities have one right answer or result, like a craft with step-by-step instructions.
- Open-ended activities have many possible results: a box of materials, a blank page, a pile of blocks.
Both are valuable, but open-ended activities build creativity most.
15 ideas to spark creativity
- Draw a new animal. Combine two animals: a giraffe-fish? An elephant-butterfly?
- Finish the picture. Start a drawing and let them finish it. Our finish the picture pages are made for this.
- Junk modelling. Build anything from recycled materials. See recycled crafts.
- Story dice. Roll dice with pictures and make up a story.
- Invent a game with its own rules.
- Design a dream house or a treehouse.
- Make up a song about your day.
- Photo to coloring page. Turn a family photo into a coloring page with our photo tool and color it in unexpected colors.
- Puppet shows. See puppet making.
- "What if" questions. "What if animals could talk?" "What if it rained lemonade?"
- Grid drawing. Learn to copy pictures with grid drawing, then design your own.
- Nature art. Arrange leaves, stones and sticks into pictures.
- Create a comic. Draw boxes and tell a story in pictures.
- Recipe invention. Make up a new sandwich or smoothie.
- Color with unexpected colors. A purple tiger? A rainbow tree? Why not?
How to talk about children's creations
- Describe, don't judge: "You used lots of blue and swirly lines."
- Ask about it: "Tell me about your picture."
- Praise effort and ideas: "What an interesting idea!"
- Avoid "What is it?" It can make children feel their work isn't clear.
Let them make mistakes
Creativity involves trial and error. Don't rush to fix things. Let children try, fail and try again. See growth mindset for kids.
Creativity by age
Ages 2–3: scribbling, painting, playdough, music and pretend play.
Ages 4–6: drawing, crafts, building, dress-up and storytelling.
Ages 7–9: comics, inventions, models, games with rules and creative writing.
Ages 10+: projects they lead: films, music, coding, design, writing and art.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too many rules. "Color inside the lines" and "skies are blue" can limit creativity.
- Doing it for them. Let them do it their way.
- Over-scheduling. Free time matters.
Frequently asked questions
Are coloring pages bad for creativity?
No. Coloring builds fine motor skills and focus, and children can make creative choices with color. Balance them with blank paper and open-ended activities.
How do I encourage a child who says "I can't draw"?
Focus on fun, not perfection. Try drawing games, step-by-step drawing and grid drawing. See how to teach kids to draw.
How much free time do children need?
There's no set amount, but some unstructured time every day helps creativity flourish.
A creativity challenge jar
Write these prompts on slips of paper and pull one out when your child is bored:
- Invent a new animal and give it a name.
- Build a house for a toy using only paper and tape.
- Draw your dream bedroom.
- Make up a song about breakfast.
- Design a new board game.
- Write a story with three random words.
- Create a robot from recycled materials.
- Draw a map of a made-up island.
- Make a sculpture from playdough or foil.
- Design a costume for a superhero.
How do I balance creativity and screen time?
Offer creative materials when screens go off, and look for creative screen uses like drawing apps, stop-motion animation and music-making.
Should I join in?
Yes, sometimes. Creating alongside children shows it's fun and okay to make mistakes. Let them lead.
What toys encourage creativity most?
Open-ended toys like blocks, play dough, art supplies, dress-up clothes and recycled materials can be used in endless ways.
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