Get creative!

As we are approaching the end of the year and the weather is getting colder, finding things to do in the evenings and at weekends can be tricky and the go-to for many children is turning to screens for entertainment. Although this is fine for short periods of time, it is important that children are encouraged to express their creative side at home, as they do at school. So why not get messy doing some arts and crafts this weekend?

Christmas is only a matter of months away, so why not introduce creativity into your free-time by getting the whole family involved in making things? You could have a go at making your own Christmas cards this year! This is a great way to encourage everyone to express their creative side while spending some quality time together and creating something personalised. Family and friends will love them!

Making Christmas decorations is another fun way to get into the Christmas spirit and with so many different things to make, the opportunities are endless! Our favourite decorations are paper snowflakes. Quick and easy to make, they look great on your windows during December. You could also get creative in the kitchen and do some festive-themed baking. For some inspiration or assistance on how to make your favourite Christmassy crafts, this article contains some great ideas: https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/christmas-crafts-for-kids/

If you’re not ready to get in the Christmas spirit just yet, there are plenty of other ways to encourage creativity. All you need is a few art supplies, a rainy afternoon and a lot of encouragement. Pretty much anything these days can be homemade, even gift tags and wrapping paper! Perfect for birthdays or other celebrations.

For the older children, creative writing is another fun idea. While their summer holiday adventures are still fresh in their minds, asking them to write about their trip to the seaside or walk in the forest is a great way to improve writing skills. Keeping a diary from an early age also encourages a love of writing.

Encouraging children to express their creativity from an early age is incredibly important for their development; creative activities provide a huge range of developmental benefits including language and communication, social development, emotional development and cognitive benefits. This is why, here at Pilgrims, we combine inspirational teaching with a creative curriculum to establish a lifelong love for learning.

We are always keen to see what you and your children have been busy making/creating in your free time; make sure you share your masterpieces with us on our Facebook page!