Fostering Creativity in Children During the Lost Hours

In an increasingly complex world where changes are occurring at a dizzying pace, creativity is becoming one of the most important competencies that children need to learn in order to thrive. The problem is that no one really teaches children how to think and act creatively. This manuscript was written to help fill this void. It offers parents a practical and easy-to-apply toolbox to foster creativity in their children and to instill in them a creative mind. Since time is a scarce...
More Description

In an increasingly complex world where changes are occurring at a dizzying pace, creativity is becoming one of the most important competencies that children need to learn in order to thrive. The problem is that no one really teaches children how to think and act creatively. This manuscript was written to help fill this void. It offers parents a practical and easy-to-apply toolbox to foster creativity in their children and to instill in them a creative mind. Since time is a scarce resource for 21st-century parents, short 5-to-60-minute activities have been designed that are tailored to families' daily routines, the interests of both children and adults, and most importantly to real-life experiences. The activities are generic and so can be used again and again, anytime and anywhere, especially in what are called in this book The "Lost Hours", the hours of the daily routine when families are in transition from one activity to another, or when parents are physically with their children but do not know how to channel shared time in a constructive way. The "Lost Hours" are the times spent waiting in line for the doctor or dentist or at the supermarket, while driving to school, while watching TV together, reflective conversations when resting on the couch, when driving to a vacation or on a trip, discussions during food preparation, and so on.