This website has been very helpful in finding out the definitions of creativity and just how much it can affect a persons personal and intellectual growth. I have tried to be selective with the information which I have posted here however I find the majority of it interesting and necessary.
Being involved in creative activities is fun and absorbing for children. Evidence suggests that it helps children to have positive experiences and develop important characteristics and abilities such as:
| Appreciation of different ways of looking at the world | |
| Collaboration – being keen to work together as a team | |
| Communication – developing better communication through talking, listening, writing or pictures | |
| Concentration – focusing on what they are doing | |
| Developing good relationships – working together and making new friends | |
| Discipline – developing self-control through a requirement to practice (for example: some artistic activities, such as playing a musical instrument, need practice) | |
| Emotional intelligence – being able to express emotions | |
| Empathy – understanding what it can feel like being someone else (particularly through role play drama activities) | |
| Imagination – bringing ideas to life and adding excitement to their world | |
| Independence of thought – discovering things for themselves | |
| Interaction – being involved in a group and having peer support | |
| Intrinsic motivation – participating in something for pleasure rather than external reward, so wanting to do it for themselves | |
| Language – increasing vocabulary, reading and writing skills | |
| Open-mindedness – being open to new ideas | |
| Physical activity – participating in activities that encourage movement | |
| Positive emotion – having fun and enjoying what they are doing | |
| Problem-solving – being able to explore different solutions. |
- A sense of purpose
- Achievement
- Confidence
- Development of strengths, talents and interest
- High aspirations
- Self-respect
- Sense of belonging.
A series of creative arts projects in English schools
with pupils aged 11-16 years had a positive impact on the learning and
behaviour of the pupils. The projects involved creating graffiti art
works depicting cities in the future, recording rap music in French and
creating a selection of artwork and performances related to VE day or
Japan. The main outcomes were:
- improved language and literacy skills
- an increase in motivation
- a decrease in behavioural problems
- increased confidence and desire to learn
- a greater awareness of opportunities available to them after school
- an improvement in self-confidence, especially among the less able pupils.
One pupil said: "I really liked this week because it made me realise that learning can be fun."
Furey, B. (2006). Can creative
projects improve the language and literacy skills of our pupils?
Research Summary from the Teacher Research Conference 2006.
Below are examples of the benefits of two specific areas of creativity: music and messy play.
Where words fail, music speaks.
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Hans Christian Anderson
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A number of studies have outlined specific benefits of music for babies’, children’s and young people’s wellbeing. For example:
- Music can build powerful connections between parents and babies. The joy experienced as they share the music helps strengthen their bond.
- Young children are attracted to musical patterns and structure. Music introduces children to the sounds and meanings of words and helps strengthen their memory skills.
- In adolescence, music makes a major contribution to the development of self-identity and is a useful source of support when young people are feeling troubled or lonely.
- Playing a musical instrument can lead to a sense of achievement and increased confidence, persistence in overcoming difficulties and self-discipline.
- Singing has particular benefits on the immune system, due to deep breathing, good posture, improved mood and stress reduction.
The benefits of messy play
We can encourage very young children to be creative through messy play. Messy play, (e.g. sand pits, paddling pools, finger paint) has been found to be very beneficial for babies and young children’s development of thought and creativity. In particular it helps to develop concentration and problem-solving, conversation skills, curiosity in the world, imagination and cooperation.
Play is our brain's favourite way of learning.
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Diane Ackerman
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Messy play does not usually have a focus on making something. This leaves the child free to explore all possibilities and enjoy the creative process. It is important for us to watch and listen to the child’s explorations and inventions as this promotes a sense of security. It also gives the child greater confidence to take risks if they know we are nearby.
Case Study - Creativity in Scottish Schools
Creativity Counts was a project aimed at supporting
and fostering the development of creativity in classrooms in Scotland.
The report, Portraits of Practice, describes 18 projects in schools
across Scotland, giving details of the ages of children and aims of the
project; how the project was organised and what happened; reflections on
how creativity was encouraged; and the benefits of creativity found.
Examples of projects included: ‘Our
Ideal School’ where children collaborated to think about, plan and build
a 3D model of their ideal school, and ‘The Cool Project’ where children
were encouraged to think about healthy eating and create an exciting
and original healthy ice cream.
Some of the benefits of the projects were:
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Refer to Website for further Information http://www.handsonscotland.co.uk/flourishing_and_wellbeing_in_children_and_young_people/creativity/creativity.html
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