Finding Family Inspiration
The Oxford Dictionary defines inspiration as “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.” According to Harvard University researchers, our children are born inspired to learn about the world around them but those intrinsic motivations are encouraged or suppressed by the experiences adults provide. As busy adults, it can be hard to keep up with our children’s boundless curiosity and energy. It can be hard to inspire ourselves to find the time to plan, create, and clean up after creative pursuits. Therefore, it’s important to find the ideas that inspire you as a family. Here are a few ideas on how to get those creative energies flowing in ways that everyone will enjoy and that will motivate children to continue creating on their own.
Be a Good Role Model
Set aside time for creative experiences as an adult and your children will be more inspired to do the same. Children learn by watching and emulating what their parents do. If you veg out in front of the television or doom scroll at the end of a long day instead of picking up a hobby, so will they. Turn off the screens and pick up your own creative pursuits. Better yet, find age-appropriate ways to include them. If you love woodworking, create a project plan together. Let your child have a hammer and nails to experiment with. Encourage them to help you apply the wood glue or so some sanding. Are you a sewist? Help your child design fashions for their dolls. A painter? A doodler? Incorporate your child into your process. They’ll love learning from your expertise, and you’ll both be able to destress while making something together.
Bond over a favorite story
Is there a book that your child reads over and over or a story from your childhood they love to hear? How might you help your child act out the story in your home or backyard? Kids love to play pretend, and there are so many ways to help bring stories to life. Build props and costumes together to set the stage. Become a witch or wizard with a chopstick wand. A bedsheet between two chairs makes a great hideout. Cut a strip of paper, staple it together, and let the kids decorate their very own crowns. A long-sleeved t-shirt with the arms tied together makes a great cape, and masks can easily be made from paper bags and a bit of string. You can even inspire them to create their own stories by following this formula for writing epic superhero stories.
Help a friend or neighbor
It’s often said that necessity is the mother of invention. Inspire your children to think about people in your community who may need support or encouragement. How might they brighten the day of a sick friend? Is there a way that they can make an elderly neighbor’s day a little easier? Help your kids brainstorm and execute on ways they can help the people they care about. Ask your child what kinds of things that person likes or needs to inspire a thoughtful handmade gift.
Take a walk outside
Bring a small bag along on a walk through your neighborhood and encourage your child to collect leaves, sticks, acorns, and more, then come home and see what creative things they can make or decorate with them. Leaf people are a favorite in our house, as are painted rocks. Press flowers between tissues and heavy books, then create beautiful collages to hang in their room. If you visit a place where removing natural items is a no-go, give your kids a camera and let them take the memories with them. Then, work together to create a scrapbook or photo album of their favorites.
If the weather isn’t conducive to getting outside, there are a ton of great ways to bring the outside in. Toddlers love to go fishing in a laundry basket boat surrounded by a blue blanket lake. Create a stuffed animal zoo. Cut a tree out of an old paper bag, then let your children decorate it with handprint paper leaves for every season of the year. Pretend to be your favorite animals, then learn more about what makes them special with a trip to the local library. Nature is a source of boundless inspiration both inside and out.
Make an inspiration jar
Unfortunately, sometimes as parents we have to say, “no” or “not right now” to a great creative idea. Don’t lose that moment of inspiration! Clean out an old glass jar and decorate it as a family. Then, whenever you have to tell your child that you don’t have time for one of their ideas right this minute, write it down and put it in the inspiration jar. Next time you have a free afternoon with nothing planned, reach into the jar for a great idea to break the boredom and keep you all off a screen.
In the words of author Laura Baker, inspiration is all about finding the encouragement and imagination to do something. It can sneak up in quiet moments or bust in, big and bright. It can come from others, or it can grow from within. Inspiration is what you make of it.
We can’t wait to see what your family makes together. Please, show us by tagging #gluestick on Instagram or Facebook!
