Doting parents often mistake intelligence and talent for creativity, but in reality, these are different skills. Intelligence and creativity are independent of each other, and a highly creative child may or may not be highly intelligent.

Creativity also goes beyond possession and use of artistic or musical talent. Talent or aptitude often refers to the possession of a high degree of technical skill in a specialised area.

What Is Creativity? Creativity is essentially a form of problem solving, but it is a special type of problem solving - one that involves problems for which popular or conventional responses do not work.

Creativity involves adaptability and flexibility of thought. These are the same types of skills that education experts now define as being critical for students.

With young children, the focus should be on the 'process', that is, on developing and generating original ideas. The 'product' is not so important.

In other words, children should be encouraged to think originally, without too much emphasis yet on whether their ideas are feasible or practical Most measures of children's creativity have focused on 'ideational fluency'. Ideational fluency tasks require children to generate as many responses as they can, as is done in brainstorming.

Children's responses may be either popular or original, with the latter being considered evidence of creative potential.

For example, a popular answer to the question, "What objects are blue?" may be "the sky", whereas a creative answer may be "cold feet".

Fostering The Creative Potential In Children Through the socialisation process, children often move toward conformity during their elementary school years. In other words, the percentage of original responses drops. Parents should guard against their child developing a 'right answer fixation'. It is important that children be given the opportunity to express different thoughts, and to find more than one solution to a problem. Research suggests that children who appear to be creative are often involved in imaginative play, and are motivated by internal factors rather than external factors.

Tips For Encouraging Creativity

• Environmental Control Provide an environment that allows the child to explore and play without undue restraints. Children should be allowed to respond freely without fear of giving the 'wrong' answer.

• Exercise Flexibility Adapt to unusual ideas, rather than trying to structure a child's ideas to fit an adult's. Suspend judgement, and talk to children about their responses. Explore with them the process through which they have arrived at their conclusions.

• Demonstrate Creativity Don't be a 'one-track' parent! With problems that naturally occur in everyday life, try your hand at coming up with creative solutions. Involve your child in the solution process whenever possible - it does not matter if his suggestions are not feasible. The point to get across is that there is always more than one way to skin a cat.

• Have Patience Allow time for your child to explore all possibilities, moving from popular to more original ideas. Many children will initially respond to questions by giving 'popular' answers, especially if they have learned that this will get them instant approval and recognition. Stimulate your child's thinking by asking questions that will prompt them to think 'out of the box'.

• Suggest Creative Hobbies Certain hobbies such as painting and storytelling are more conducive to the development of creativity. Interest your child in self-expression, and remember to be open to his or her views. For example, an apple need not always be painted red, and the princess in a story need not always be beautiful!

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