Society has many wonderful elements, but it tends to suppress creativity. We teach children to colour between the lines, to line up in rows and to live within a timetable. Whilst conforming and integrating into society is important, self expression is also a right that should be encouraged within reasonable boundaries. After all, it is a way of communicating. 

 

Creativity is vital in supporting self expression, and therefore a hugely important component when encouraging and trying to build positive mental health and wellbeing. 

 

Children are born with an innate ability to be creative, with one study showing that between the ages of two and four approximately 95% were classed as ‘highly creative’. When the study was repeated with the same children at age seven, just 5% fell into the ‘highly creative’ classification. 

 

 

The benefits of creative time include;

• The opportunity for Self expression • Non-verbal communication • Participating in ‘play’ • Child led • A chance for emotional understanding, release and exploration • Improved motor skills • Feelings of achievement and pride • An opportunity for storytelling • An encouraged respect for diversity and difference • Reduced stress and greater emotional awareness •