 
Children are wonderfully creative people. They draw and color and paint, tell stories and make up songs and games, glue things together and build amazing structures. If they receive genuine attention and praise, they glow with happiness and satisfaction and they're eager to create more. If their work is casually dismissed or criticized, they become frustrated and are less likely to try again. Formal "art" or "writing" classes can crush the creative spirit if a child doesn't conform to particular notions of what "good" art or writing is. A child who has difficulty mastering particular drawing skills or who can't seem to use correct grammar may receive poor grades for his work and lose interest in creative endeavors. This is truly unfortunate, because creative endeavors can be the source of great pleasure and relaxation throughout life. Mastery of particular sets of skills should never be a barrier to creative efforts. Unless someone makes a career in a creative profession, does it matter if a she never sells a painting, wins a big publishing contract or is asked to sing at Carnegie Hall? Of course not. Admittedly, some children will have little interest in creative activities by their nature, although they should be encouraged to try, just for the fun of it, because there are so many ways to be creative. They might find great enjoyment in arts, crafts, music or dance. On this site, we offer many art and writing activities to encourage creativity, but there are many more avaliable to your child. Music, dance and song attract most children. There are countless kinds of crafts. Try different things with your child. Encourage inventiveness. Appreciate the time and effort your children put into their projects. The more they do, the more skillful they will become, and the skills and confidence will apply to many other activities as well. They may move from one art form to another. It doesn't matter. What counts is the satisfaction and confidence that comes from creating and the joy that comes from seeing others appreciate and enjoy your work. That's one of the reasons we continue to add to this site.
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