Creativity is an essential trait of a healthy and happy child. Christine Carter, the Senior Fellow at the Greater Good Science Centre, says that “creativity helps people deal with change, facilitates effective problem-solving, affects our social and emotional intelligence, enhances our understanding of math and science, and is a key component to health and happiness.”
All children can develop the beneficial skill of creativity - and one of the things that has a large impact on this development is their environment. A little extra thought into how you arrange your child’s bedroom and what you choose to put in it can affect how creative they feel as they live and play in it. Compiled in the list below are five design tips that will help you nurture the imaginative side of your child’s personality through conducive decor choices.
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Fun Furniture
Although furniture is highly functional it can also be fun and imaginative. For your child’s bedroom choose items that will encourage play and inject a little inspiring colour into their environment. A bed is a key item in every bedroom so why not choose one that will inspire creativity and one that will fit within a creative theme that they enjoy. Have fun with the furniture choices for your child’s bedroom and they will feel both comfortable and inspired.
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A Bit of Nature
“Living natural things really change the feel of a space,” says Rachael Weiner, senior style and market editor at Real Simple magazine. Rooms that inspire creativity tend to have plenty of natural light and elements of the outdoors. Natural objects and light connect us to the world and stimulates the brain. If there is no outdoor space near your child’s bedroom, consider including a plant in their environment and natural colours and accessories.
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Explore Colour
A home is a place to foster tranquillity, to relax, and recharge, but a space that inspires creativity can be quite the opposite. You want your child’s bedroom to be comfortable, but you also want the energy to be dynamic. This can easily be influenced by the colours used in your child’s bedroom. Colours inspire kids to be creative and including many of them in their bedrooms will certainly spark the imagination in them.
It is believed that colours that are the most inspiring are the ones derived from nature. But it is also stimulating to add accents of bold and bright colours too. A monochromatic space may seem like an inspiring blank canvas but if you look at the homes and studios of creative artists and designers, you’ll often see a healthy embrace of colour. So, the colours that inspire your child should be used across their bedroom’s walls, furniture, and accessories.
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Give Them Space
Space is a resource your child needs to fully explore their creativity. Create a specific area in their bedroom where they can make a complete mess and fully embrace their creativity without restrictions. Surround this space with things like art supplies, cheap cameras, dress-up components, and building materials. Put these in easy-to-use storage bins that your child can manage and have fun with.
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Display Inspiring Objects
In a creative space, anything that creates joy or reminds your child of what they love belongs there, along with creative tools - which can be used as decor elements. This way your child will see their creative tools more frequently and feel inspired to use them more. Favourite colours and textiles, photos of happy times, or objects that bring back special memories all help to inspire creativity. Keeping your child surrounded by favourite stories and memories of adventure will help spark inspiration to create.
Along with their bedroom, it is also helpful to celebrate innovation and creativity throughout your entire home. Cover your walls with art and other evidence of creative expression to boost their inspiration and imagination. Tell your children about your favourite artists, musicians, and designers. Sharing your passion and appreciation for the arts and creativity will inspire them.
Sir Ken Robinson, an international advisor on education, said that “creativity is as important as literacy”. It is important that parents to do whatever they can to provide equal chances for learning and exploring both of these skills. And an inspiring environment is one of the best ways to achieve this. So, embrace the tips discussed in this article to design a creative sanctuary for your child and watch their creativity bloom!