Kids are born curious and creative. Creativity is the freest form of self-expression. There is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling for them than being able to express themselves openly and without any judgment. The ability to be creative can reflect and nurture kids’ emotional health, and help them express and cope with their feelings.
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Creative activities help acknowledge and recognise children’s uniqueness and promote creative play and creative thinking. Make sure to offer children a variety of creative materials and experiences and remember to always put emphasis on the process of creativity and not on the finished product. Here are two simple, but very effective ways that can enable your child to pursue their own ideas.
Wooden Puzzles for Kids and Their Benefits
Wooden toy puzzles are a crucial learning tool that can be used for children to help enhance their development. There are many different wooden puzzles for kids to entertain and teach little ones. It’s a good idea to start with simple puzzles so they can learn what to do without becoming frustrated. As they master easy puzzles, kids can begin trying more difficult ones and gain more learning benefits.
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Wooden puzzles have been around for many years and have lasted the test of time. You can choose wooden puzzles for kids in a variety of themes and topics and help your child develop problem-solving skis as well as cognitive and memory skills. Hand-eye coordination, self-esteem, social and fine motor skills are also developed when playing with puzzles.
When looking for a wooden puzzle Australia stores offer, you may get overwhelmed by the variety of options. Choosing the appropriate puzzle can be a difficult task, but the key is finding the right difficulty level. Also, consider the kid’s interests and safety concerns as well. The two main types of puzzles for children are inset and jigsaw puzzles. Inset puzzles are made of wood and consist of a frame or a trey with cut-outs of the pieces. Often, they include knobs and pegs, so a child can easily hold them and manoeuvre them. An inset puzzle is a great choice for the first puzzle for a baby or a toddler.
Jigsaw puzzles, on the other hand, include interlocking pieces and can be found in different sizes and difficulty levels. Since they may be more complexed, jigsaw puzzles are a good choice for children beyond toddler age. The image on a puzzle can play the main role in whether the kid will be interested in solving it or not. Finding the perfect theme most often depends on the child’s age and personal interests. Some children may be more interested in solving puzzles with animal themes, while others may love playing with wooden puzzles that depict scenes from their favourite cartoons or fairy tales.
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Kids wooden puzzles are durable and the best thing about them is that they can be passed from one generation to another. Also, they are eco-friendly toys, free of toxins as they’re not treated with harsh chemicals and toxic paints. When playing with wooden puzzles kids can’t swallow the pieces as most commonly, they’re too large and unchewable.
Introduce Your Kid to Art
Art is important for your child’s creative development and can help him or her, develop problem-solving skills, express creatively, communicate opinions in a variety of ways as well as develop self-esteem, self-discipline and self-motivation. But most importantly, art is fun, especially if your child has the right kid art supplies.
Whatever your child’s age, it’s never too late to introduce them to art and crafts. Create an area in your home where your kid can have unlimited access to different art materials, such as paper, clay, paint and more. You can find many different kid art supplies that will keep your child entertained and inspired most of the time. Begin with some basic supplies, like crayons, markers and coloured paper and let them have fun exploring different colours and having some fine motor practice at the same time.
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Put out one material at a time, for young children, ore one new addition at a time for a big kid. With young children, too many options can create a paralysis of choice, so simple is always better than too much. With a limited number of choices, you give your kid a chance to think more creatively. Also, make sure to keep art materials accessible to your kid as they love to explore new art materials.
Handprint or printmaking artworks are a great choice for toddlers and preschoolers who can then progress onto using child-safe glue and create paper collages. They can also use clay to sculpt, which is a great opportunity to get them involved in the crafts of different world cultures.
You don’t have to be an artist to help your kid explore arts. All you have to do is make it easy for them to gain access to art and you can learn and experience right along with them as well. Introducing kids to art is more about preparing young minds for a future of invaluable experience, whether they’re art-related or not. If your child needs a little inspiration, encourage them to create based on how they are feeling, their favourite things or dreams. Try to discuss your child’s work with them and draw and paint together every time you can.