The Importance of Creativity in Early Childhood

This essay has described about the creativity in relation to young children. The essay focuses on
the importance of creativity in young child’s development and has explained about the various
theoretical perspectives on maintaining creativity in young children. It also includes the benefits
of containing creativity in all areas of an early childhood program.

The definition of creativity has not been easy to explain as the meaning of creativity can mean
different things to different people. Creativity is a feature that exist in everyone regardless of
individual’s experiences. It is an important feature that define a human being. Creativity is about
forming new ideas, doing varieties of task in individual’s own way and bringing all-new creation
of different kinds into reality (Bruce, 2011). A proper understanding of multiple intelligences is

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required to an educator if they wish to meet the individual needs of the child while planning

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creative experience for young children. The Department of Education, Employment and

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Workplace Relations (DEEWR) has stated that creativity of young children is linked to all the

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five learning outcomes of Early Years of Learning Framework (EYLF) and is mainly connected
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to the Outcome 4 (Children are assured and involved learners) and Outcome 5 (Children are
practical communicators) (2009). The focus of creativity should always remain on process for
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young children by the generation of new ideas and thinking. When an educator provides an
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opportunity for young children to think of multiple ideas in a non-evaluative environment that is
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during play, it will help children to generate more ideas or move forward to the next stage of
self-evaluation.
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Creativity is an integral part for evolving children’s problem solving skills and innovative
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thinking. In an early childcare services, creativity of a child is often associated to play, art,
music, painting and drawing and many more (Early Childhood Australia, 2016). Creativity in the
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form of art has many benefits in the development process of young children. Children’s can use
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their creativity and imagination as a way to make sense when an early childcare services includes
art in their program. Art also gives young children an opportunity to transfer their emotions and
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thoughts into the physical form. Educators and families can observe the creativity of child in
their day to day activities when a young children form stories in their play, combine various
colors for painting, talks and solves about disagreements in their play and while explaining
different things to each other while making sense of their worlds (Littledyke, 2014). The young

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 children face the new circumstances and challenges in their daily lives as there is regular
development in technology so the educators must support the development of creative and
innovative thinking. Children can experiment with various objects, colors, textures when an
educators provides a range of resources to motivate the creativity within the service. Creativity
boosts in the different aspects of children personality. Children learn to feel good about
themselves as they search many answers to their problems arising in their play. Children also
develop the potential to think, develop their individuality and new skills and experiences the joy
of being unlike to others (Mayesky, 2015).

Different creative experiences helps young children to express and deal with their feelings. Also,
the creative activity of a child helps the educators to know more about the young children’s

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feelings and thoughts. Creativity is an important factor for children because it allows them to be

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open to new experiences which includes having a good imagination, experiencing and valuing

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the feelings of other people, trying out different new things based on their own personal interest,

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having a curious mindset and being ready to accept any challenges that might be unconventional
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(Kaufman, 2009). Educators can promote creativity through different physical environments and
materials as it is important for young children’s development. Preschoolers learn the best when
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they are actively engaged in their physical environments and it is really crucial that educators
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and families provide the sufficient opportunities to explore and engage in the environment by
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touching, moving and trying on different experiments with different materials by allowing them
to express ideas and emotions and manipulating different toys or objects. These kind of
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experiences help to create powerful and meaningful connections in the process of brain
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development (Virtual Lab School, n.d.). Play experiences such as painting, drawing or sculpting
in the preschool years helps in the brain development. Also, performing arts that involve acting,
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moving or dancing are also equally vital for brain development. Different studies have also
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indicated that the creative physical activity is connected to the brain growth and development in
young children. So, it is important for young children to get involved in such activities that helps
in the creative development.
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The mental growth in children is also nurtured by creativity as it provides opportunities to carry
out new ideas, thinking and problem solving skills. Creative activities recognize and celebrate
children’s unique quality and diversity along with offering excellent opportunities to modify

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 educators teaching strategies to focus on each child (PBS, n.d.). Children need support to and
motivation to develop their creativity and the process of creative expression is essential for both
educators and children. Creativity helps in the physical development of a child. When a child
works with materials like paints, crayons, tape, clay, glue etc. motivates the development of fine
motor skills and boost hand and eye coordination in young children. Such activities also help in
the muscle development. Creativity also helps in the personal growth of a child as it helps to
develop the self-confidence, sense of identity and communication skills allowing them to cope
with their feelings as they express their experiences via communication. Furthermore, creativity
also provides the opportunities to celebrate a child’s unique qualities which is a vital element of
developing strong sense of an individual (Bruce, 2011).

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Early childhood educators can use different creative theories to assist the children to make sense

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and respond to various situations and contexts. When an educators recognizes the different

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theoretical perspectives that includes the creativity practice in young children, they engage in

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professional query that leads to documentation and planning taking the educators to a new level
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of understanding and clarification (Early Childhood Australia, 2016). There are several things
that could be done to help the young children to develop enthusiasm to express creativity.
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Educators can help the young children to accept the change, learn to judge and accept their own
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feelings and help them to realize that some of the problems do not have an easy answers.
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Educators can help the young children to recognize that one problem might have several possible
solutions. Educators can help the young children to enjoy their own creation while solving the
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problems. Educators can teach children to appreciate themselves for being different and can
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reward the children for being creative. Educators can motivate the children to develop the stick
to it attitude (Mayesky, 2015). It is a responsibility of an educator to provide developmentally
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suitable experiences and activities that fulfill each child’s needs. As an educator is planning and
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implementing work, the foundation for children’s success is being set. An educator can encounter
with many individuals who have unique talents so they can use their own creativity to engage
with them as it might create a meaningful experience for children and their families. Educators
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can give proper guidance and information to families. Educators can brainstorm with each other
for solutions of issues or concerns that might arise in daily practice. Such activities also help in
the development of creativity in young children (Stonehouse, 2012).

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 There is a wide range of creative expression when the children have more varieties of
experiences in their lives. Young children can include more things on their play if they have more
personal experience with people and with the situations outside in their own surroundings.
Educators should try not to be overwhelmed with the variety and diversity of creative expression
in class. Educators can ask children different open ended question like why do you think frog is
feeling happy? and close ended question like Do you like painting? as good question motivates
children to think outside the box and develops the problem solving skills. Educators question can
foster convergent and divergent thinking of children (Bruce, 2011). So open ended question helps
the young children to use language for giving full answers by using range of vocabulary. It also
helps them to be creative by thinking of new ideas and to use their imagination to provide more
information about the asked questions.

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Creative expression provides a proper way for young children to try out new ideas, foster their

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imagination and problem-solving skills and to know the result of experimenting with the many

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new things. It provides them the knowledge about what the children love to do their best and it
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also teaches them that their abilities and contributions at any task are highly valued. Creativity
helps in the problem solving skills as it lets the children to experiment without any materials,
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process which also provides the opportunities to negotiate about the problem and find a desirable
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solution and all of these are the basic skills when they grow older (PBS, n.d.). Creativity in the
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form of play is one of the creative interaction with young children. Educators can create the
provision of creative thinking by ensuring that children have time to play as play provides
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children with the opportunity to problem solve, make errors, form connections and create new
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ideas within a secure environment. When creativity is fit in the all areas of the early childcare
curriculum, young children gets a chance to imagine and create new things and they propose
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different theories and reasons for the things that are happening around the surroundings. Children
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have meaningful experiences in a creative play and they master some certain skills. Children
express the thoughts and ideas about certain things and they engage in reflective thinking
process. Children explore the diverse ways of learning, knowing and thinking (Gowrie, n.d.).
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Creative play encourages the physical development in young children by facilitating the
development of motor skills. Creative play also fosters the mental growth as it provides new
ways of thinking and solving problems. Through the block play, children go through different

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 mental challenges. Creative play also promotes the social development in a child. Creative
dramatic play allows children to play various social roles and helps them to understand it which
provides the children with an endless opportunity to learn social skills (PBS parents, 2016). It
helps to increase understanding between children as they learn to take the viewpoints of each
other into accounts. Creative play helps children to cope with their emotions and also gives them
the chance to master their own imaginative world as they monitor their own experience by
exercising the decision making choice (Coffman, 2015). The open ended question in creative
play helps young children to boost their self-esteem. Creativity in the form of arts like visual art
making, music, singing and dancing also helps in the social skills, understanding and celebrating
the diversity, basic literacy and numeracy skills (Mayesky, 2015).

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In conclusion, educators should use the children interests and background for creating new ideas.

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As the creativity in young children is important, educators can encourage the creativity by the

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formation and expression of ideas in non-evaluative form and also by focusing on both divergent

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and convergent thinking.
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 References
Bruce, T. (2011). Cultivating Creativity: For babies, toddlers and young children (2nd ed.).
Hodder Education.
Coffman, E. (2015). Dramatic Play in the Early Years. Pembroke.
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uwsau/reader.action?docID=4851633
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (2009). Belonging,
Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra:
DEEWR. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-
02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.
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Early Childhood Australia. (2016). Supporting Children’s Creativity. The Spoke.
http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/supporting-childrens-creativity/#:~:text=In
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Gowrie. V., (n.d.). Philosophy of the Children’s Program. Gowrie Victoria.

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Kaufman, J. C. (2009). Creativity 101. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
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Littledyke, R. (2014). Supporting children’s creativity in early childhood education. Everyday
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Learning Series, Volume 12, Number 3. Canberra: Early Childhood Australia.
Mayesky, M. (2015). Creative Activities and Curriculum for Young Children (11th
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ed.).Wadsworth Cengage.
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PBS. (n.d.). Creativity and Play. The Whole Child.

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https://www.pbs.org/wholechild/providers/play.html#:~:text=Creativity%20is%20the
%20freest%20form,and%20nurture%20children's%20emotional%20health.
PBS Parents. (2016). Creative Arts Development. https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/the-
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importance-of-art-in-child-development
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Stonehouse, A. (2012). Nurturing Creativity, NQS PLP e-Newsletter, No.44.

https://kts.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/CHCECE018-NQS_PLP_E-
Newsletter_No44.pdf
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Virtual Lab School, (n.d.). Creativity: An Introduction.

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https://www.virtuallabschool.org/preschool/creative/lesson-1
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