The Importance of a Dragon Tail
Imaginative creativity is often up there on the many checklists of what skills your child needs for life. You know the ones, “5 key skills to help your little one get ahead” “10 soft skills your child won’t learn at school.” A quick google search will show you even more like this.
However, imaginative creativity is a skill which is developed and grown over time, there is no “one size fits all” and there’s no defined benchmark for whether or not you have it. Once you’re creating, it breeds more creativity and a little like a muscle, it can be trained.
So what is it about being imaginative that is so vital to our personal development? And how do we go about harnessing and prolonging it if it’s so important?
Creativity isn’t quite as simple as sitting with a paper and pen and letting loose. The wide ranging type of imaginative creativity I’m talking about encompasses, creative problem solving, creativity in conflict resolution, creating without an agenda or goal and moving... to name a few.
Playing without an agenda provides one of the biggest encouraging factors to creativity. Coming up with solutions for problems whilst in the middle of your playful flow. Have you ever found yourself to come up with brilliant ideas for problems when your mind is in the midst of a repetitive movement; mowing the lawn, in the shower or maybe knitting? Or in this case, twirling a Dragon Tail.
As B and I were spinning on the lawn, twirling our Dragon Tails behind us, the feeling of being so free and so playful was almost overwhelming. Life seemed easy, carefree and with it came a surge of inspiration. In the middle of our playful dances, I let go of all the heavy to-do list needs and the ever growing list of jobs to tick off. I saw the Homestead in a childlike way all whilst enjoying the ease of moving on short grass with bare feet.
Creativity is learnt through play. For children around the age of 2 those first forays into society and its “rules” begins; sharing, waiting and turn taking specifically. As they begin to understand the norms, they also begin to test the boundaries and begin coming up with new ways of stepping up to and over them. They begin becoming more and more creative in their ways to escape your grasp when it’s time to leave somewhere or when it’s time for teeth brushing!
But why as adults do we lose that playfulness, stagnate in our creativity and find problem solving more challenging? Life just takes over and inhibitions creep in. Even as an adult it’s so beneficial to play, imagine and create. What better opportunity than right alongside your child? If they’re elbows deep in oobleck, get in there too! Or if you’re wanting to get going with your own project, try creating alongside your little one, allowing them to be part of the process. Or at least create next to them, slowing down and appreciating the moment
It’s hard to expect our littlest to be creative, constantly striving for them to use their imagination or be more creative when they don’t see us doing it. Find a length of ribbon and dance like you’re competing for gold in rhythmic gymnastics! Just. Let. Go.
Rob Hopkins, the founder of the Transition Towns movement (author of From What Is To What If) writes it wonderfully;
“If we refuse our children the right to play freely, creatively, if we make adults feel play is silly, if our campaigning and activism are so serious that there is no space for play or taking risk, if we assume our childrens’ childhood exist to start planning their careers, compiling their CV from the age of 4, we risk shutting down the very creativity and imagination upon which our future depends”
I hope you have a surge of playful inspiration today, find your nearest hill to roll down, make your own woodland crown to be king for the day or grab your Dragon Tail and just run.
