Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, used to say that “Children have 100 languages, but we steal 99 of them.”He wrote the poem“The Hundred Languages of Children”, in which he talks about all the ways children express themselves: through drawings, dance, play, etc.According to Malaguzzi, children have a hundred ways of thinking, expressing themselves and saying what they want. Taken as a metaphor, we can say your children have countless ways of telling you what they feel, think or imagine. That’s why it is so important that you value all those languages, which are closely linked to creativity and curiosity, in order to support their development.When we talk about creativity, we mean any idea, action or object that changes something that already exists or transforms it into something new. In other words, it is something everyone can develop, not just those who are gifted in the arts, because it is a form of human expression. So pay close attention to what your children want to tell you when they play, imitate, draw or talk to you.Creativity does not come alone; it is accompanied by curiosity, which is the driving force that sparks it.Have you noticed how your children sometimes stare at certain objects? Questions run through their minds such as: What will happen if I press this button? Why does the blender make noise? And what will happen if I pull the tablecloth?When your children begin to explore the world around them, they want to know how things work, why they are different sizes, what happens if routines change, and so on. This is what we call curiosity – that impulse that drives us to know, understand and resolve questions. And surely, your children are starting to feel curious about almost everything, and all day long you only hear: why, why, why. Questions help us start conversations, understand how others think and build closer bonds.Curiosity appears in different ways. It can be through their own exploration, such as when your children look at something and want to know how to use it, what it is for and what happens if they break it. But it can also come through questions. So, if your children are in the “why” phase, which usually happens between the ages of 3 and 4, remember that all they are trying to do is understand the world around them and start a conversation with you, their responsible adult.Curiosity triggers creativity, although sometimes some girls and boys don’t take the next step towards creating. Daring to create requires a lot of courage, so we’d like to share some tips to help you encourage them to develop their creativity.Creativity likes:Having moments of relaxation, such as taking a bath, listening to soft music or going for a short walk. This helps the mind connect ideas more easily.Changing activities from time to time – having flexible routines with varied activities throughout the day and not doing the same thing for too long.If these two conditions are met, it’s easier for creativity to appear. You can apply this yourself at work or during the day: look for moments to slow down, take a breather and also try to change activities every so often. This will also help you be more creative with your children, think of new ways to play and promote their development.Now, here are some simple suggestions to foster creativity and curiosity in your children:Do activities they enjoy, such as drawing, dancing or playing their favourite game.Put some music on, explore different rhythms and music genres, and play at inventing fun dance moves.Set up an inspiring space at home to help them create, with simple materials of different shapes, colours and textures, or a box with materials such as modelling clay, crayons, markers, building blocks, fabric scraps, bottle caps, etc.Enjoy free play. You can let them explore on their own and discover or answer their questions through what they do.Try new things, like visiting new places, tasting new foods or changing the routine.If you are in the “why” phase, instead of giving the answer, you can reply with another question: What do you think it is? How do you think it works?, and so on.Creativity is one of the 21st‑century skills, highlighted by the Inter-American Development Bank in its initiative to shape better citizens. With creativity, it is easier to solve problems and it helps us see the world from different perspectives.Our students learn through curiosity and exploration. We know students have many ways of expressing themselves, and understanding them is essential to the teaching–learning process. Thanks to the teaching techniques we implement, they feel confident to ask questions and explore. In this way, they build their own learning and develop their creativity and curiosity in a safe, loving and fun environment.
