No Creativity Crisis at CMoR!
At the Children’s Museum we overhear all kinds of questions every day. At the front desk, in the exhibits and in camps, staff and parents spend the day answering questions like, “Why is Seymour red?”, “How does pizza cook?”, “Why do people snore?” and so many more. What is important to realize as a parent or caregiver is that when children ask you 452 questions each day it is not just to drive you bonkers. They are working on developing their creativity, even though they might not know it at the time.
For the first time ever, creativity scores for Americans are falling, according to The Creativity Crisis, a recent article published in Newsweek. Why does this matter to me and my children you ask? The article cites findings from a 50-year study that found childhood creativity scores mattered more to lifetime accomplishment than childhood IQ scores. In other words, creativity is an essential skill to lifetime success.
So the question now is, how can you help foster that creativity in your child? The article notes the importance of free play and role playing in the development of creativity in early childhood. At CMoR Central and CMoR Short Pump, we foster that creativity and imagination in young children. It is important to remember that creativity is not just regulated to the Art Studio; it is fostered and developed through creative problem solving and child-collaboration in exhibits throughout the museum.
While your child is putting on a show in the CMoR Playhouse he is expanding his imagination. In Monument Market, your child’s play and social interaction allows her to understand himself and those around him. Every one of the exhibits, from the Sun Tubes to the Backyard, to the (soon-to-be-opened-new-and-improved) Treehouse, are about promoting the museum’s mission to create innovative learning experiences for all children and those who support them that inspire the next generation of creative problem solvers .
Read the full Newsweek Article, The Creativity Crisis, here.
