Why Kids Are Natural Creative Writers and Thinkers

Want to know the secret to writing at your creative zenith? It’s really quite simple – you just have to think like a child again.

Without doubt kids are the most imaginative human beings on the planet. Everything they see is new, and all dreams are possible and within reach. What adults view as obstacles, youngsters innately see as challenges.

Though you cannot pretend to be years younger, you can absolutely get in touch with the kid that’s trapped inside you and just aching to release a wealth of creativity. To get you started on this journey back in time, we’ve compiled three fun exercises to bring you back to the days when exercise was something that happened on a daily basis (and not in a health club) and sweets were an acceptable food group.

1 – Spend a Morning, Evening, or Entire Day Thinking Like a Child

What better way to start on your path to innovation than to spend some time focusing on childlike thoughts? During a specific timeframe, determine to respond to outside stimuli as would a youngster (sans temper tantrums!) Take a walk and really allow yourself to observe the world around you… go to a park with a child and play on the equipment… buy some crayons and paper and colour for a while.

Though these activities may seem pointless and silly at first, in time, they will serve as springboards to creative musings. For example, you may decide on a whim to head to a local shopping centre. As you stroll by a perfume counter, the aroma of wild roses suddenly triggers a long-forgotten memory of you visiting a favourite aunt who wore a similarly scented fragrance. You delightedly recall the excitement of exploring this relative’s jewelry box overflowing with sparkly pins, necklaces, and rings during a rainy afternoon. This recollection takes shape as a children’s story that you cannot wait to write, eager to share your reminiscence with others.

2 – Live Life in the Moment

Children don’t have much of a past, and they don’t tend to worry about the future. Instead, they live in the here and now, a prescription for innovative thinking.

If you want to become more imaginative, nix the worries of adulthood for a specific amount of time. During this period, live your life in the here and now, eating because you’re hungry for a certain item (never mind that supper is in an hour!) and generally allowing your whims to carry you.

By stripping yourself of the trappings of maturity and listening to your own rhythms instead of those set by society, you’ll begin to unearth a wealth of creativity. After you’ve ended this exercise, be sure to write down any realisations or ideas that came to mind, no matter how simple they might seem. Did the peanut butter you ate taste better when you weren’t worried about nutrient contents, calories, or the price tag? Was your nap more refreshing when you didn’t consider what you weren’t accomplishing during the time you were asleep? Did a phone call with a friend leave you feeling more upbeat than usual? Though these might seem like insignificant observations, they could become the seeds of incredible works of literary art.

3 – Play Once a Day for a Week

Finally, if you’re truly serious about not being too serious, make an appointment to “play” at least once a day for a full week. Go outside and play with a skipping rope. Buy some clay and sculpt silly statues. Clip out newspaper or magazine pictures and create a wacky collage.

What you do isn’t as important as the fact that you’ll be freeing your brain from adult activities. Make certain that you choose some pursuit that has absolutely no purpose other than to pass the time. Though it may seem wasteful at first, this exercise will help you use parts of your mind that are typically pushed aside in favour of more “mature” interests.

By the end of the seven day period, ask yourself if you feel a difference, and, if so, make more dates to try this activity again and again. Each time, it will become easier and more rewarding, and your resultant creative writings will only benefit from your motivation to think like a child.