Creative Play.
Creative play is not something that is unique to children – adults also engage in it. Carol reminds us of our connection to the creative God.
Assisting in Child Development
Years ago I worked for a short time with young children who exhibited signs of delay or potential for developmental delay. At each home visit, I brought a variety of toys and showed the parents or caregivers how these could help in different aspects of a child’s development. My youngest daughter, who had been in a program like this until she went to kindergarten, told me I wasn’t going to work but to play.
Children and play go together like salt and pepper or cream and sugar. They explore their world through their times of play. They learn fine motor skills, creativity, and even counting through manipulating and playing with toys. Their play could involve gross motor skills as they jump in spring’s mud puddles or scuff through autumn’s fallen leaves.
Do we lose our enjoyment of these simple things, our imaginations, and our creativity as we grow older? Do we assign playing to childhood?
Creative Play and Imagination
Creativity by definition is the use of imagination for original ideas and is often thought of in relation to some artistic endeavour. Synonyms include words such as cleverness, imagination and invention. So let me ask us, in this puzzle called life, do we relegate the piece marked creativity to artists and imagination to children?
The root of creativity simply means to grow. What can we grow as we allow ourselves to play and enjoy simple pleasures of life? How can this help our well-being? As I thought about these things, I read and heard different opinions, but one thing kept coming to the forefront. Taking time for creative play is one more aspect of self-care for our mental health.
What Does Creative Play Look Like?
What does creative play look like? Just about anything. For those who are artistic, it might mean making time in a day or week to allow yourself to draw, paint, or even sculpt something. For the musically inclined it would take on the times set aside to play whichever instrument you excel at, enjoy, or want to learn. Quilters piece things together like a puzzle. Those who love to stitch might work on a piece of counted cross stitch or other needle work. You get the idea.
If you are like me and don’t fit into any of these categories, we might lament with words like, “What about me? I’m not an artist. I can’t quilt or sew or paint or draw. How can I do something creative?” We might also wonder what’s so special about crafting, artwork, or other creative endeavours.
Adult Creative Play
I believe that each one of us has puzzle pieces marked creativity and play. For some play will mean sports or games. For others it might mean concerts or movies. Yet I think there is something important to our overall well being when we take out that creative piece and figure out where and how it fits into the picture of our lives. I have several granddaughters who love to bake and make amazing desserts. Their creativity comes to the forefront and the rest of us get to enjoy the results.
Adult colouring is popular as a way to relax – a form of self-care. It also allows you to play with colour. Sometimes we can take a suggestion like the one I received from another granddaughter and use collage as a way of expressing my creativity. This takes me back to my childhood when we cut and pasted from magazines for fun, to make artwork, and even later to decorate reports since we didn’t have google to rely on for images to download.
The Creativity of God
When I look around this vast country and see pictures from around the world, I marvel at the creativity of Creator God. The rugged mountains in contrast to the plains and waving fields of grain in the fall or the animals and their differences. Some make us smile like the duck bill platypus. God not only gives us the puzzle pieces of play and creativity, he gives us what we need in order to fit them into our lives.
In Exodus the people of Israel were given instructions on constructing the Tabernacle. In Exodus 36:1 says,
“Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.”
God gave the craftsmen every skill they needed to complete the instructions for the Tabernacle. God hasn’t changed and will give us all we need to be creative in a way that fits the uniqueness of how he made us. Let’s take some time and enjoy the gifts God has given us.
How do you think you are creative? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Carol Harrison
Listen to Carol’s program Puzzle Pieces Of Life or visit Carol’s website carolscorner.ca
Carol Harrison B.Ed is a speaker and published author with one book, Amee’s Story and stories in twelve anthologies. She is passionate about helping people of all ages and ability levels find their voice and reach their fullest potential.
She knows, through personal experience that some of life’s experiences are tougher than others. She encourages people that even in the twists and turns of life God’s amazing grace provides hope.
She lives in Saskatoon, SK with her husband Brian. They have four adult children and a dozen grandchildren.
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Images courtesy of:
Children in Water – Free-Photos
Cube Puzzle – congerdesign
Adult colouring – A_Different_Perspective
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