Today, in our high-tech society, if one doesn’t know how to go about a task, the problem is often solved with technology. But in many ancient cultures, creativity and thoughtful self-expression was considered key to accessing a higher understanding of reality.

Creativity and artistic expression acted as a way to access deeper knowledge and greater truths. New creative ways to express the self are available through expressive writing, personal art, space creation, exercise, and meditating. Incorporating these into your daily routine can be another technique to tap into your creativity. You might try turning off screens or social media for awhile; disengaging from them will allow you to come back fresher and with more energy than before. Remember to remove any expectations, use this time bravely, let go of your control, and your mind will open up to new ideas.

One way to get ideas for art and writing projects with your children is to look at anything they find interesting. This could be their favorite superhero, animal, color, shape, etc. Once you know what interests them, come up with an idea that incorporates that into the project. One example of this would be coloring pages that are animal themed or gluing puzzle pieces onto paper to represent animals or objects. Another method for coming up with creative projects is to let your children help create something (this can include washing brushes before painting, helping to mix paint colors, etc.).

Drawing is a great way for a child to express themselves. Sketching is the quickest creative activity to complete. It does not take much time to sit down, look at things differently, explore spaces, and make art.

They can also experiment with colors and types of paper. They can find shapes in everyday objects and draw what they see. Try creating interesting compositions and learning the basic elements of drawing. One last suggestion is trying to find inspiration through music or other extracurricular activities outside of school.

Writing is another great way for children to use their creativity. Creating these types of activities with your kids will not only be fun but it will teach them valuable skills they will use later in life.

Need some ideas? Inspiration can be found in this Creative Prompts series below.