Are you longing for that creative spark? Creativity is right at your fingertips, you just need to set a little time aside and see you’ll see the creative sparks fly. Practicing these seven things will have you well on your way to unleashing your creative magic!
1. Work with your hands! Studies show that working with your hands activates creativity. It can be as simple as a child playing LEGO, modeling with clay, or even helping doing the evening dishes. This stimulates the imagination network in the brain.
2. Practicing mindfulness enhances creativity. Centering a child’s mind to present awareness allows for a clearer mind and more creative thoughts to naturally flow. For example, three deep belly breaths calm the nervous system and open the mind to being more spacious. You can have them practice mindfully eating, listening to music, or walking in the neighborhood.
3. Connect with nature! Take a walk in nature, these are known as Awe walks or forest bathing where you focus on the details of nature, like the tree, the leaves, butterflies. Just spending time in a green space, like a park, reduces stress and increases happiness. Connecting to nature enhances a sense of awe and wonder and sparks the brain’s imagination.
4. Exercise and get physical! Have them play sports, dance, take a walk, play basketball outside. When you exercise you get natural endorphins which reduce stress and enhances positive mood. This allows creative thoughts to flow.
5. Seek out new experiences! New experiences spark the imagination and open the mind to infinite possibilities. This can include visiting a botanical garden, zoo, or even taking a hike on a new trail. Novelty stimulates creativity.
6. Play! Encourage play for the sake of play where there is no end result. During play the mind is free and more open to new ideas and thoughts that boost natural creativity. They can play in a group or individually with figurines, or play dress up. This all sparks the imagination.
7. Revel in an art day! Take a field trip to an art exhibit for inspiration. Notice all details and record them in a journal, sketch book, or with photographs. Practicing art trains the mind to build brain pathways that are specific for creating. Building your artistic mind muscle.