Creativity

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.” Steve Jobs

I often hear people talking about others they know who are creative; artists, authors, chefs, hairdressers, photographers and the like. Some people may say that they themselves aren’t very creative, however I’m not too sure. What about the stay-at-home parent who can manage the family, or the forklift driver who takes his family on a trip across the Simpson Desert in an old four-wheel drive, and the finance broker, who tends to an organic garden then makes a delicious meal for the extended family?

Creativity could be said to be using the imagination to make something. For some, creativity could be similar to innovation, imagination or originality. Other benefits of being creative could be managing conflict, the ability to be a team player or simply being able to solve problems.

I love being creative at home with the kids and will often build or make things with them in the garage. Monty and I made a billy cart from bits left from a building project, and Daisy and Finn helped him paint it. Monty made Finn a small stool that doubles as a storage box when turned upside down. Finn made a load of tea-light candles from some beautiful pieces of cypress pine for Christmas presents. Daisy painted colourful circles on the top of an outdoor table that was worn out and we were going to put out on the nature strip. We cut off the legs and it now hangs out the back on a fence as a piece of art. Sandi will come home from work and create an amazing meal from a fridge that looks empty to someone else. Being creative is something that we all are, even though we may be creative in so many different ways.

When we discover how creative we all really are, developing our creativity can be an extremely rewarding experience.

Being creative can be so much fun. Here are a few ideas to choose from, to do this week with your family to foster creativity. Maybe you’d like to create a different idea?

• Play ‘Charades’ by acting out words and syllables in the title of a movie, a song or a book.
• Open a book and quickly point to a word without looking. Tell a one-minute story that includes your word.
• Play ‘Mr. Squiggle’. One person quickly draws a squiggle on a piece of paper and passes it along for the next person to complete the drawing.
• Build something together with Lego, paper, playing cards, play doh or modelling clay.
• Get out some pencils, crayons, paints and textas and work together to make something amazing.
• Plan and prepare a family dinner party or picnic together.
• Listen to some different radio stations and discuss the music.
• Go for a walk in a local open space and look for traces of different animals that may live there. Talk about how these creatures are creative.
• Rate your creativity skill on a level of 1 to 10. If you are below 10, discuss how you think you can learn to become more creative.
• Cook something that you have never cooked before. Consider changing the recipe slightly. What did you discover? Discuss.
• Around the dinner table, ask each other lots of crazy questions and take turns to answer them.

As our daughter Daisy grows older, I am continually surprised by her creativity. She plays the piano and guitar. She will paint, sew, cook, draw, construct with wood and even build with Lego. I am learning to cope with the mess she creates at the kitchen table or on the lounge room floor, often as dinner approaches, however her creativity is inspiring. Daisy will often sit for hours just being creative.

Recently, we built a small loft space for the kids and it is not uncommon to find it in a total mess (through my eyes) or as an inspiring city of Lego (as the children see it). As Daisy grew up, we gave her many opportunities to try different creative pursuits and now all of these opportunities are paying off.

When we discover how creative we all are, we can be in awe of ourselves and those around us.

“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” Edward de Bono