Little girls are big dreamers! Their creativity begins at a young age – and usually with their clothes. They try on your shoes, wrap themselves in towels as makeshift dresses and sit for hours at your vanity toying with their hair and makeup. This kind of experimentation is all part of being a girl!
But research shows that creativity in little girls doesn’t easily translate to creativity as an adult. A study from the University of Connecticut found that women who do creative work often find it difficult to see themselves as creators. Women are often more susceptible to criticism than men, a factor that can stifle creative output as girls grow up. Yet, the research also found that when creative girls have family support, as well as the presence of influential creative mentors, it plays a significant role in helping them thrive as creative women.
Want to nurture your little girl’s innate creativity? Here are 10 tips to help ensure that she never loses her sparkle and imagination!
1. Forget what you know. Part of being creative is liberating yourself from preconceived ideas about the way things should be. Children are naturally creative. They don’t yet know the way things are “supposed to be.” This blank slate is an exciting part of developing creativity. Let your daughter mix and match her outfits, try out crazy hairdos for both herself and her dollie and play out whatever other ideas pop into her head. Childhood is a time for experimentation!
2. Find creativity everywhere! As adults, we tend to think of creativity as being linked to certain areas of life, like art or music. As a child, a little girl finds creativity everywhere, from the leaves in your yard to the dollies tucked into her toy chest. Don’t let your idea of what creativity means inhibit her ability to express herself. Something as simple as a new dress can be her canvas for self-expression.
3. Encourage discussion. Embrace the favorite question of every two-year-old: “But why, Mommy?” Critical thinking is a necessary part of creative expression. Encourage your daughter to ask questions and explore the way the world works. It may seem irritating, but you are constantly helping to expand her worldview. You might even be surprised by your own answers. “Why can’t I put 12 braids in my dollie’s hair and use foil to make her a dress?” On second thought, why not?
4. Embrace the mess. And, by mess, we don’t just mean the “clean it up with a mop and bucket” type. Clashing colors, mismatched socks, kooky hairdos. Creativity is about embracing the friendlier side of chaos.
5. Supervise, without meddling. As we said before, kids are naturally creative. Play with your daughter, but don’t teach her how to play. Your daughter has a natural aptitude for making the world a more interesting place. Watch, learn and go with the flow! You may be surprised where she leads you – and what it does for your own creativity.
6. Let your daughter be her own boss. Well, not all the time. But, with a doll from Dollie & Me [link to: http://www.dollieme.com/dollies-dollie-outfits/dollies#.U57UgfldX-s], girls gain autonomy and show responsibility by dressing and caring for their little friend.
7. Praise effort, not outcomes. When it comes to creativity, trying is more important than succeeding. Praise your daughter for her efforts, whatever the outcome might be. As adults, we often treat experiments as failures. Mistakes and do-overs are all part of promoting creativity in little girls. Celebrate your daughter for the work she puts in, not necessarily the results that follow.
8. Provide inspiring experiences. Anything can be inspiring to a little girl. Break free from the normal playground-to-playroom pipeline and try something new: a nature walk, a hair-braiding lesson on her dollie or a trip to the art museum with a sketchbook and some pencils.
9. Limit screen time. Some time in front of the TV and computer may be fun and entertaining, but hands-on play encourages children to create their own stories.
10. Treat every day like a fashion show. Let your daughter jumpstart her creativity every morning with her outfits. With matching outfits from Dollie & Me every day is an opportunity for self-expression. Let her decide what to wear, and she’ll build confidence day by day.
Get the creativity flowing at your house by thinking differently about the clothes you buy for the little girls in your life. Those cute outfits hanging on the racks in the stores or beautifully put together online can actually become more than just one outfit. Three outfits become six or more in the mind of a child. What could the little girl in your life do with the below little girl outfits?
Want to purchase these outfits and get the creative juices flowing? CLICK HERE to to view all of our fun attire! And don’t forget the dollie’s outfits too!
