Sometimes our creative arts loving teens may find that they are in a creative slump. When this happens, knowing some practices to help nurture and develop creativity can help. Here are seven behaviors of highly creative teens that you can foster to help your teen think outside the box and find innovative ideas and solutions in their art.
Curiosity
Highly creative teens tend to have natural curiosity. They are interested in learning about the world around them. They will often seek new experiences. If you live with a highly creative teen, you may notice them asking many questions and seeking answers to whatever new question pops into their mind. Developing curiosity will assist with creativity.
Imagination
Creative teens tend to use their imagination to think outside the box and find unconventional solutions to problems. They may find it a fun challenge to produce solutions or products that others would not think of.
Persistence
Highly creative teens tend to find ways to persist when faced with a goal. They do not give up easily, even when frustrated, and will find ways to move forward in the face of setbacks or failures. They may take a break to regroup, but they will come back to the task at hand and continue to find ways to keep going. They understand the value of breaking tasks down into achievable goals and approaching problems from multiple angles.
Risk-taking
Some creative teens often have a fearless streak. They are willing to take risks and step outside of their comfort zone even when it’s not the easiest choice. They embrace – or at least engage in – new challenges related to their art. When in a safe and supportive environment they are often willing to try things that they know they have a high chance of failing for the learning experience.
Collaboration
Many highly creative teens enjoy and are skilled at collaboration. They see the benefit of working with others and using the collective energy to produce greater outcomes. Even those who may not enjoy collaborating in person may find benefit in collaborating online in some way. These teens value teamwork and cooperation and a point of view that may be different than their own.
Experimentation
Creative teens are not afraid to experiment and try new things. They are willing to take risks and explore uncharted territory. They understand that failure is an inevitable part of the creative process, and they embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Reflection
Teens who are highly creative engage in reflection. They look back at the activities and experiences they have engaged in and dissect what they liked, what they didn’t enjoy, what they did well with and what they need to work on moving forward. This reflection allows them to identify patterns, make connections, and generate new ideas. This is also part of how they use failure as a tool for growth.
Ways to Help Teens Engage in Behaviors of Highly Creative Teens
By providing your teen with multiple opportunities to explore the Seven behaviors of highly creative teens can empower them to deepen their creativity. Here are some suggestions to help your home be a place where creativity thrives.
- Provide access to resources they may not automatically turn to such as books (instead of looking for a quick answer online)
- Encourage them to try new things, take calculated risks and explore questions these experiences present.
- Offer opportunities to attend events related to their art of choice such as concerts, art galleries, exhibits, plays. Suggest they go to ones that aren’t what they typically would seek out to attend.
- Encourage them to work on group projects and collaborate with others.
- Teach them to listen to others and value their opinions and perspectives.
- Provide them with opportunities to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures..
- Provide them with a supportive environment that encourages experimentation and exploration.
- Help them to embrace uncertainty and ambiguity and see it as an opportunity for growth and learning.
- Encourage them to set achievable goals and work towards them.
- Teach them to embrace failure as a learning opportunity and not a setback.
- Provide them with extra support and encouragement they need to keep going when the going gets tough.
- Encourage your teen to questions assumptions, challenge norms and think outside the box when looking for solutions
- Allow space for making mistakes – even big ones – rather than striving for perfection or quick mastery.
- Create a home environment where being open-minded, curious, and adaptable in the face of new challenges and experiences is rewarded.
- Model a life of developing a lifelong curiosity and love for learning and discovery and validate the importance of creativity in life.
In conclusion, you can play a critical role in nurturing your teenager’s creativity. By implementing the suggested strategies, your home can be a supportive environment that reinforces your teenagers creativity and unlocks their full potential even when they may feel stuck at times. You can also model lifelong curiosity and learning and emphasize the importance of creativity in life in your own choices and actions. Ultimately, by creating a home environment that fosters creativity, you can empower your teen to thrive and achieve success in their chosen creative art.
