I love that my kids are creative. I love that they enjoy reading and writing and drawing and building and imagining and creating. As they get older and the draw of video games and phones and screens gets stronger and free time gets scarce, I worry that they will start to lose some of that penchant for creativity. We make a concerted effort in our house to limit screen time and encourage that down time...time to create. And each time I get to see the fruits of my children's creativity, it makes me feel good. (I don't always feel as good when I see the after-effects of their creativity all over the house that they don't necessarily feel compelled to clean up.)
Briggs is my kid who has the most free time to play creatively. He is my builder. He builds with Legos. He builds with Magnatiles. He builds with cardboard blocks and train tracks and race tracks and blankets. He builds with snow and sand and sticks. He makes castles and race tracks and cities and forts. But his creativity doesn't stop with building. Briggs also loves to draw and write and use his imagination in play. He makes costumes. He fights dragons. He makes books. He sets up pet shops and theme parks and libraries and haunted houses. He has a great mind and a great imagination, and I love to see that in action.
Magnatile and Lego creations abound in Briggs' room.
Adelie had a 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' party with some of her friends from school. Briggs with some help from Adelie set up an entire "theme park" (Keeperland) in the basement with a variety of fun games and activities for the girls to enjoy.
Adelie will sometimes join in Briggs' creativity and fun with him, but she also branches off into her own creativity. Adelie loves to write. She continues to write novels and short stories and poems and plays. She truly has a gift and thinks she might want to be an author when she gets older. She self-published her second book that now has its own long waiting list at the Eureka Public Library. She is also learning how to crochet, loves making bead bracelets and Perler bead creations, and enjoys making up dances and tricks with Staley in the basement. She and Briggs also enjoy making movies and videos.
This is Adelie's second novel. Her creativity and imagination in her writing is truly a gift. I love reading what she comes up with.
Adelie and Briggs will still play together, building and creating and imagining as a team.
With all of Staley's extra-curricular activities, she has the least amount of free time. But when she does find that time, her creative outlets tend to be doing calligraphy (she has gotten really good!) and choreographing dances. Her quiet time is often spent listening to an audiobook and doing calligraphy in her room or choreographing dances and learning new tricks with Adelie in the basement. She has gotten really good at both.
Staley has improved as both a dancer and a choreographer.
Staley uses her calligraphy to make cards and gifts for people.
She made this for Briggs, and it is displayed proudly in his room.
As my kids get older and busier and pulled in a variety of directions, I hope that they continue to find ways to use their creativity. It makes me happy to see them create and imagine and build and dance and write and draw. And who knows. Some day I may the mother to an architect and an author and a choreographer. And then they'll thank me for turning off the screens and making them find their own fun...because that has turned into some amazing skills.
