Why creativity matters in early childhood

Creativity is one of those words that feels familiar, but is often misunderstood.

When parents think about creativity, they usually picture painting, drawing, or arts and crafts. And while those activities can be creative, they represent only a small part of what creativity really is.

Creativity is not just about what children make.
It’s about how they think.

And in early childhood, creativity is one of the foundations for learning, problem-solving, communication, resilience and later academic skills — including writing.

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What Creativity Really Is (And What It Isn’t)

Creativity is not something children need to “learn” or “become”.

Children are born creative.

What adults can do is either nurture that creativity — or unintentionally restrict it.

In its broadest sense, creativity is:

• thinking flexibly
• making decisions
• experimenting
• imagining possibilities
• solving problems
• expressing ideas in different ways

A child can be highly creative without enjoying art — just as a child can enjoy painting without engaging creatively if the task is overly controlled.

Creativity is a way of thinking, not a finished product.

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The Problem with Focusing on the Outcome

Many parents (and settings) place value on what children bring home:

• a recognisable picture
• a themed craft
• something that “looks right”

But when adults prioritise the outcome, children learn something very quickly:
creativity becomes about pleasing adults, not expressing ideas.

Highly outcome-driven activities often:

• have a fixed end result
• require following instructions
• limit choice and experimentation
• involve adults controlling the process

These activities aren’t harmful — but they offer narrow learning.

The richest learning happens in the process, not the product.

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Why Open-Ended Experiences Matter

When children are given open-ended materials — things that don’t have a “right way” to be used — their brains work much harder.

Open-ended play supports:

• decision-making
• cause and effect
• problem-solving
• prediction
• confidence
• language development
• persistence

A child mixing paint freely, even if it becomes “a brown mess”, is learning far more than a child carefully filling in a pre-drawn shape.

They are experimenting.
They are testing ideas.
They are thinking.

That thinking is creativity.

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Understanding Scribbles (And Why They Matter)

One of the most misunderstood aspects of creativity is early mark-making.

What adults often dismiss as “just scribbles” actually shows clear developmental progression:

• continuous lines
• lifting the tool on and off the page
• circles
• shapes
• recognisable forms

Each stage reflects growth in:

• physical control
• visual perception
• planning
• creative thinking

When parents begin to understand what they are seeing, scribbles become something to value — not rush past.

Keeping early mark-making (or photographing it) allows parents to see that development over time.

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How Adult Praise Can Accidentally Limit Creativity

Children learn quickly what gets approval.

If praise focuses on:

• staying inside the lines
• copying an example
• producing something “correct”

children may become reluctant to take creative risks.

They learn to play it safe.

Instead, focusing praise on:

• effort
• exploration
• persistence
• decision-making

helps children associate creativity with confidence and curiosity — not performance.

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Why Messy Play Is So Valuable

Messy play often makes adults uncomfortable — but it is incredibly powerful for learning.

When children play with mud, paint, water or natural materials, they are engaging multiple senses at once:

• touch
• sight
• smell
• movement

This multi-sensory input strengthens learning far more than passive observation.

Messy play supports:

• creative thinking
• sensory processing
• physical development
• problem-solving
• emotional regulation

Children aren’t just “getting dirty” — they are building neural connections.

And for many children, messy play is deeply joyful.

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Creativity Beyond Art: Stories, Language and Imagination

Creativity isn’t limited to making things.

It also lives in:

• storytelling
• pretend play
• small world play
• songs and rhymes

A child who can turn a banana into a phone, a block into a dog, or a cardboard box into a spaceship is using advanced imaginative thinking.

The fewer fixed features an object has, the more creativity it invites.

This kind of imaginative play supports:

• language development
• narrative skills
• emotional understanding
• later writing ability

Creativity fuels communication.

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Why Open-Ended Resources Beat Toys with Instructions

Toys that do one thing, one way, offer limited learning.

Open-ended materials — cardboard boxes, tubes, fabric, paper, loose parts — allow children to:

• invent uses
• adapt ideas
• revisit play differently each time

These materials also avoid reinforcing stereotypes and expectations, allowing children to explore freely.

Creativity thrives where possibilities are wide.

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Supporting Creativity at Home (Without Complicated Setups)

Creativity does not require elaborate activities or expensive resources.

What it does require is:

• time
• space
• permission to explore

Simple ways to support creativity include:

• leaving paper and mark-making tools accessible
• allowing experimentation without constant correction
• dressing children in clothes that can get messy
• valuing exploration over appearance

Often, the more effort adults put into setting something up, the more they feel invested in the outcome — and the less freedom children have.

Creativity grows best when adults step back.

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Creativity and Writing: The Hidden Connection

Creativity underpins writing long before children form letters.

Writing is:
thought translated onto paper.

Children who:

• experiment creatively
• develop fine motor control
• use imaginative language
• feel confident expressing ideas

are far better prepared for writing later on.

The creativity comes first.
The mechanics follow.

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The Takeaway for Parents

Creativity isn’t about producing something impressive.

It’s about helping children:

• think independently
• explore ideas
• take risks
• express themselves
• make sense of the world

When we shift our focus from what children make to how they think, creativity becomes simpler, richer and far more meaningful.

You don’t need more activities.

You need fewer rules.

And a little more trust in the process.