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Family Matters

Rebooting Your Child’s Imagination

By Jane Bullivant

Rebooting Your Child's Imagination Life can sometimes feel like it is little more than a collection of “must dos” and “don’t forgets.” Washing the dog, scooping the hairbrush from the toilet and other such essentials can eat up time so all else goes on the back burner. The thought of inspiring a kid’s imagination is wonderful, yet somehow life often gets in the way. I’ve been really challenged by this, as I want our home to be so much more than a pit stop. I want it to be bursting at the seams with challenge, adventure and inspiration. Intrigued?

The first step in freeing up a kid’s imagination is having a stimulating home environment. For me, this is more than simply finding something to keep the kids quiet for half an hour. Given enough free time and a generous dollop of inspiration, kids will eventually put the time to constructive use. It’s a skill that can be learned at any time of life. Here are a few ideas:

Have an “inspiration wall.” Pick any wall in the house for anyone to stick things that inspire them. I casually mentioned we were going to do this with my kids. Then, without announcement, I stuck on some amazing surfing pictures. A week or so later, I took them off and stuck on an intricate piece of 3D space art. In case you’re wondering, my kids don’t clap their hands in glee at the prospect of an “inspiration wall.” They’re more likely to give it a glance as they shuffle toward their skateboards. But I make frequent changes to it (and it happens to be the wall opposite the table where they shovel in their breakfast cereal every morning) and it has initiated some interesting conversation. The great thing about this kind of wall is it will be completely unique to every family.
Leave a stash of boxes, string, springs and other odds and ends on the table occasionally. Your children may be inspired to invent things or create a sculpture.
Get an unusual pet.
Go for an adventure for the day. Pack a map, a sack lunch and just go!
Give them their own space in the garden.
Buy some paints and a canvas and create a “family” piece of art for the wall.
Get a book about science experiments using home ingredients.
Join a local nature club.
Set up a homemade weather station in the garden. (There are a lot of online resources to help you.)
Scrapbook together.
Create a memory jar using colored sand or salt. Each layer in a different color reminds you of special occasions.
Start a family diary together and jot down everyday or funny happenings.
Go for a late-night walk.