Even at a very early age it is necessary to use different methods to encourage your child to think, make conclusions, and find new solutions. Even when a child cannot yet verbally communicate well, he or she can and knows how to play. Play is the best way to encourage your child to learn and develop.
Ask questions to your child who may still be in the non-verbal phase. Help him/her develop his own opinion, encourage him to make conclusions and look for his own, new solutions. And once he or she starts speaking, keep asking questions which do not offer ready solutions and do not guide towards an expected outcome. It is important that you encourage your child to make proposals, encourage him in that, and praise every time he tries.
Everyone (including you) likes hearing praise. Praising makes one move forward, puts the wind into one’s sails.
When you play creatively with your child it is good, before the beginning, as soon as you offer him stimulating material, to ask him what could become of all this. You may not immediately get many answers, but if you keep asking often enough, you will soon see ideas coming like an avalanche.
Praise your child’s ideas and incite more. Share your ideas with your child and decide together about your next activity.
In the course of the work often ask questions: “And what do you think?” “ How would you do that?” or “What would be a better solution, this or that?”
Such stimulation will foster the development of your child’s own opinions, creativity, and self-confidence. He or she will feel that his/her opinion is respected, and this will be an additional motivation for your further encouragement.
You, yourself, will realize how you too are becoming more creative; the time will come when you do not have enough time to realize all your ideas.
