Growing their Imagination

A child’s imagination is an extraordinary thing. It can create worlds we cannot visit, friends we cannot see and ideas we can barely fathom. There is no measurement to the extent a child can grow this magical ability, and as a parent we need to embrace this limitless wonder. Some of your child’s best creations will be the product of their imagination, whether it is as bewildering as banana chicken soup, or as stunning as a hand painted mural. With such a powerful tool for a child, it is important for parents to encourage the growth and not dilute it.

In the past year, studies have shown that creativity has decreased among American children. Since 1990 children have become less able to produce unique and unusual ideas resulting in less humor, imagination and ability to elaborate on ideas. The good part about these conclusions is it is easy to nurture an imagination. Some quick fixes parents can take to ensure that their children are using and expanding their imagination are:

• Make time to pretend. Pretend play lets kids try out new roles for themselves (like superheroes, princesses, wild animals, or even parents) and allows for creative problem solving. But it also helps them deal with another hurdle of the preschool years: intense emotions.
• Turn off the video games and TV. These are two mediums that create fantasy worlds for them, and typically do not stimulate kids to do so themselves. Instead, have them create their own entertainment, whether it’s directing their own play or illustrating their own storybook. Also with the growth of technology, it is always nice to bring out old toys like blocks and dolls and see what they do when they are in charge of their own entertainment.
• Slow down. Nowadays, kids have a packed schedule, allowing no time to actually “play”. Giving them time to just have fun will give them the opportunity to use their imagination to play house, super heroes or even princesses.

Just like most stages in a child’s life, the imagination stage will fade and parents will be left with a pile of costumes and a memory of laughter. This bittersweet moment is known as “the age of reason”, meaning the child is now at a higher-level of thinking and has realized that the way they thought the world worked is now not necessarily how it actually does work.

The age of reason is when parents will see their kids start to decipher what is right from wrong, the battle of finding their conscious and the realization that their fantasy worlds and friends were never there to begin with. Luckily for parents, the fun does not end with the start of the age of reason. Parents will start to see the product of their child’s imagination translate into their future through:

• Art
• Music
• Creative writing
• Help with critical thinking

So when the capes come off and the wands stop working, parents should not discourage the creativity they have been enveloped with the past few years. Instead, they now know their child’s capability and should encourage them to dabble in art, music, creative writing and critical thinking situations to find their true passion.

Sources:

www.tbparenting.com

www.ParentingwithAngela.com

http://www.creativityinstitute.com/childsplaygettingyourchildtousetheirimagination.aspx

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44122383/ns/today-parenting/t/not-your-imagination-kids-today-really-are-less-creative-study-says/#.Tpxo5BzU8rg

http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/play_magic.html#

The Importance of Music

Fun With Benefits

Whether dancing around the living room on a rainy day or singing along to the radio, school-age kids love listening to — and participating in — music.  And there are loads of good reasons to encourage this enthusiasm. Research shows that kids who are actively involved in music (who play it or sing it regularly):

• score higher in math and reading
• learn coordination, goal-setting, concentration, and cooperation
• excel in math and science because of development in reasoning and cognitive skills
• experience less conflict with friends/peers and have higher sense of self-esteem
• have a higher chance of attending college

One study showed that students age 7-9 who were given keyboard training while also using math software scored higher on proportional math and fractions tests than students who used the software alone. Also, students who have been involved in public school music programs, on average, score higher on their SATs than those who don't.  But the best reason to encourage a love of music can be as simple as its fun and allows parents and kids to spend quality time together.

Exposing Your Child to Music

Listening to an array of music improves a child's ability to analyze and comprehend it. The early elementary years are the perfect time to expose kids to everything from classical to country. Most are open to experiencing many musical styles until around the third grade, when they start to prefer popular music. (Studies have also shown that kids in grades four and up prefer music with a faster tempo. To feed this need and still expand their abilities, find different international styles (salsa, chalga, aboriginal) of music with up tempo which will help develop their ear for other languages and other less popular styles of music.

Fill your child's life with as much music as you can. Some ideas on how you can incorporate a larger music emphasis on your family’s lives are:

• Put an iPod stereo with rotating playlists in your child's room. Work with them to create a playlist of familiar and new types of music to help expand their appreciation for different music genres and styles
• A musical alarm clock or clock radio can help your child wake up musically. Many stereos have timers that let kids drift off to music as well. Certain songs can serve as cues for your child (for instance, one song you always play or sing in the morning when it's time to get ready for school).
• iTunes also offers free downloads every week with samples from newly released albums from around the world.
• Introduce kids to songs from your own childhood or music you especially love. Who was your favorite band growing up? Your favorite musical?
• As cliché as it sounds, singing in the car is another great way of exposing your kids to music…and it does not hurt to have a little fun!  Show tunes are my favorite for car singing.
• Make or buy musical instruments and have them available in your child's play area.
• Cook to music, clean to music, and take some time just to sit and listen and discuss as an activity.
• Try music-making computer software programs that let kids lay down their own tracks, just like a professional. Apple offers a user-friendly program called Garage Band that allows artists to create new songs from loops and program instruments. If your child already plays an instrument, they can record themselves directly into the program and add sound effects and layer other instruments with their live recordings.
• Form your own family band with real or improvised instruments (spoons, makeshift drums, etc.). This is a good group activity for kids to try with friends.  And if all else fails play RockBand!

Taking Lessons

Most kids are ready for formal music instruction between ages 5 and 7. The piano is a logical and great place to start.  Kids who learn keyboarding skills also learn the fundamental musical concepts needed for other instruments and vocal music. String instruments are another good place to begin. Brass or wind instruments can be more physically challenging and may not be appropriate until the fourth or fifth grade.

Questions before starting lessons:

• Playing musical instruments makes physical demands on kids. Does your child have the appropriate physical development and fine motor control to play an instrument or sing? (A good music teacher can help determine a child's physical readiness.)
• Can your child focus on one thing for 20-30 minutes?
• Does he or she understand and comprehend letters and numbers?
• Has your child had adequate musical exposure? Can he or she keep a steady beat, identify incorrect notes in a familiar song, and repeat basic rhythm and pitch patterns? (If the answer is no, work on these skills before beginning formal lessons.)  Music programs offer programs for parents and their babies. 
• Are you able to commit to taking your child to lessons on a regular basis?
• Are you willing to ensure that your child does her music homework and practices on a regular basis? 

Your child can get music instruction at school but should also get basic instruction in reading music, writing music, and understanding music theory.  Some great after school programs that offer music programs for children of all ages are: Music Together, the Patel Conservatory, Music Showcase, Marcia P. Hoffman Institute for the Performing Arts and the Miami Children’s Theater, Primrose School of Lutz.

Researchers now think that music may predate language in human development. So whether your child becomes a concert pianist or simply enjoys singing in the shower, encourage that love of music!

For more info visit:  www.kidshealth.org

Nurture Your Child's Artistic Side

On Parents in Action today, Angela discusses the importance of nurturing your child's creativity through the arts. As founder of Miami Childrens Theater, Angela has always been a  fan of the arts and has helped guide many kids through their artistic journey.

Watch the segment on Parents in Action for some ways to get your child's creative juices flowing!