Kids are naturally curious and creative, and their imagination often runs away with them with very little help needed, but how can we nurture these incredible qualities so they can harness them into life skills? The answer is by providing them with the tools they need to express and develop their creativity. Whether you’re looking for a gift for your child, a grandchild, nephew/niece or a friend’s child, you need to take their age and ability level into account when choosing the perfect gift. Think about what the child enjoys playing with now and see if you can build on it with a more advanced version. If you’re stuck for inspiration, here are eight ideas which might help.
- Building blocks or toys
While it might seem a simple choice, building blocks are fantastic for all ages of children. They can let their imagination loose and build whatever they can think of or follow set instructions, but either way, they are developing either their creativity and/or their ability to focus on a task.
- Painting Set
Painting is a great way to help your children express their imagination onto a canvas. An easel with some paints and brushes (plus a safe area of the house with a drop sheet) is all you need so your mini artist can create their first masterpieces.
- Pottery Kit
If they already enjoy creating models out of play dough, the next logical step would be to get them a starter pottery kit. These kits tend to include the clay tools, paints, and glazes, and their creations can be baked in the oven at home.
- Children’s Sewing Machine
This is a gift more suited to older children, but there are mini-sewing machines which are equipped with safety features so children can start to create their own designs in fabrics. The perfect gift for a budding designer.
- Musical Instrument
Musical talent is a wonderful quality to have so if you recognize it in a child, it might be a good idea to get them experimenting with musical instruments as early as possible. Very young children may be more suited to drums, xylophones or keyboards, but older children could start taking lessons in brass, string or even woodwind instruments like saxophones. Drums could also prove to be a good option for older children (learning any instrument does not need to have an age bar to it!). An interesting way to garner increased interest in your child could be customized wraps for the instruments from websites such as Rockskins Custom Designs and similar others. This could not only boost excitement for the child but also give the instrument a new look!
- Magician’s Kit
Maybe your child has a flair for the dramatic and an interest in magic? If so, a magician’s kit could be the ideal solution. They can learn how to do magic tricks and how to perform for an audience.
- Puppet Show
A puppet show kit gives children the chance to not only put on a show for an audience but also to exercise their creative storytelling muscles. For young performers with an interest in books, this is a great way to spark their imagination.
- Dress-up Costumes
Lots of children enjoy dressing up and playing make-believe, so why not encourage them to explore with a wardrobe of dressing up costumes? It could be a character from a film or TV show or something as simple as a builder, police officer or doctor, but these early role-playing games are essential in helping children to develop a sense of identity.
