Are you wondering what your child can get up to during this long summer break? Studies have shown that developing your child’s creativity builds their confidence skills, improves social skills and they learn better in school. Juliette Demierre, a Sixth Form student at top UK independent school, Wycombe Abbey, shares her ideas about some ways you can encourage your child’s creativity this summer.
1. Build a garden
Whether it is a big outdoor project or simply a selection of plants on the balcony, you can guarantee that growing plants is an excellent way to encourage your child’s creativity. Not only do they have fun selecting which plants to grow, but they also learn about different plants, expand their biology knowledge and impress their classmates at school! Some plants that grow well in our equatorial climate include orchids, which are pleasing to look at and are very easy to grow for beginners. Cherry tomato plants grow marvellously in hot and humid weather, thus being an excellent choice because it can also be eaten. The patience of gardening also teaches your children that having creative ideas takes time to cultivate and explore before it becomes complete.
2. Explore art museums
Often, art museums have special exhibits on display for a limited amount of time, which can be valuable exposure for your child to see how different artists express themselves, even if they themselves aren’t inclined to a future in art. They can also compare and contrast pieces of work which widens their creative and critical thinking skills. Below are some links to current exhibitions to take your family to:
Singapore
National Gallery Singapore – Keppel Centre for Art Education (permanent)
Singapore Art Museum – Wayang Spaceship (until 31 January 2023)
Art Science Museum – Future World: Where Art Meets Science (permanent) and the VR Gallery (permanent)
Malaysia
Core Design Gallery – Hot Seats – Unveiled (until 26 August 2022)
Weiling Gallery – A Paradigm Shift (until 2 August 2022)
G13 Gallery – Selected Works: 1996-2019 by Khoo Sui Hoe (until 20 August 2022)
3. Encourage them to write reviews about books, movies or TV shows
This is a great one if your child is especially passionate about reading or watching films, as it won’t be too hard to convince them to write a review. They could record their general opinion, explain why they liked or disliked it, and what could have been done better. It will also benefit them to discover distinct styles of writing, inspiring them to develop their own. Additionally, they can gain an insight into the imagination of the creator’s mind and help them expand their own. Check out Waypoints’ summer reading lists here if you’re looking for recommendations!
4. Make a scrapbook or magazine of their passions
Scrapbooking is an excellent way for your child to express themselves creatively, particularly regarding a subject they enjoy. Using printed out pictures, stickers, and a pen, there is an unlimited range of things your child can scrapbook; you can provide the materials, or they can get them themselves, thus giving them the creative freedom to decide what could potentially be used to make a scrapbook. Some ideas of things your child could scrapbook are of a show they particularly like, a holiday that your family is embarking on this summer, or even just a personal diary of each day. Your child can even use canva.com to make a digital scrapbook if they prefer. A website called www.everything-about-scrapbooking.com can explain how to start a scrapbook for beginners, so have fun creating.
5. Make a Rube Goldberg machine
These are extremely fun to do, especially with other people, so don’t be shy to get involved as well! A Rube Goldberg machine is a chain-reaction machine, in which a simple task is carried out in a complex fashion. If you’re still confused, check out this website here which explains it further in depth. Anything can be used to create one of these; I personally have memories as a child of transporting a ball from one end of the house to the other using empty toilet rolls and books. Creating one takes lots of patience and a mindset for adapting to potential failures, thus making it perfect for nurturing your child’s creativity this summer. Here is a picture example of what a Rube Goldberg machine could look like:
Here is a video of a simple Rube Goldberg machine that your child could try:
Compare it to a more complicated Rube Goldberg machine made by professionals!
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpLDfkLBJ0Q&ab_channel=GuinnessWorldRecords)
And here is a simple tutorial in case you’re stuck:
So there we have it – five innovative activities that not only get your child busy this summer, but nurture their creativity in order to improve their social and emotional development for the future. Have fun carrying out these various activities this summer and let your creative juices flow!