Albert Einstein defined creativity as “intelligence that enjoys itself.” Most often, creativity is understood as artistic ability; it certainly is that but the ability to be artistic is not a pre-requisite for fostering creativity. Creativity is a skill that can be practiced and enhanced. It allows us to solve problems by looking outside of traditional patterns which helps to develop critical thinking skills as well as facilitate increased resilience and self-confidence. Furthermore, engaging in creativity helps teens learn about themselves, empathize with others and explore their unique identities.
Engaging in creativity helps teens learn about themselves, empathize with others and explore their unique identities.
In our increasingly digital world, digital tools that allow creative expression are accessible and, let’s face it, possibly the easiest way to encourage a teen to engage with their own creativity. But there are a lot of ways for teens to be hands-on IRL with artistic activities and games that require creative solutions.
9 Ways To Get Your Teen Engaged In Creativity This Summer
1. Outdoor Exploration
Encourage teens to explore the outdoors and draw inspiration from nature. Whether it’s sketching landscapes, taking photographs of wildlife, or collecting natural materials for art projects, spending time in nature can spark creativity and imagination.
2. Journaling and Creative Writing Prompts
Journaling can help teens process their feelings and increase self-awareness: a necessary building block for emotional regulation. You can provide teens with journaling prompts or creative writing exercises that purposefully inspire self-reflection. The Teenage Handbook, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, suggests digital journaling and provides contests that award prizes for submissions. There are several apps available that allow digital journaling with text, photos and video.
- Provide your teens with journaling prompts from the Story Writing Academy.
- Take a look at 33 journaling prompts for teens we gathered.
- Creative writing prompts and summer contests for teens can be found on Project Write Now.
- Additional creative writing prompts for teens can be found on Reedsy.
3. Creative Challenges and Competitions
Participate in creative challenges or competitions that encourage teens to push their creative boundaries and showcase their talents. Whether it’s a writing contest, art competition, or photography challenge, these opportunities provide motivation and inspiration for teens to pursue their creative passions.
4. DIY and Upcycling Projects
Encourage your teens to engage in do-it-yourself (DIY) and upcycling projects using recycled materials or household items. From repurposing old clothing to creating homemade gifts or décor, DIY projects foster creativity and resourcefulness.
5. Virtual Art Classes and Workshops
Explore virtual art classes, workshops, or free tutorials available online that cover a variety of artistic mediums and techniques.
6. Artistic Mentorship and Collaboration
Connect teens with mentors, artists, or creative professionals who can provide guidance, feedback, and inspiration for their creative pursuits. EYS families can receive support in engaging a local artist.
7. Music and Sound Exploration
Encourage teens to explore music and sound as avenues for creative expression. Whether it’s learning to play a musical instrument, experimenting with digital music production, or creating soundscapes using everyday objects, music opens up new possibilities for creativity and self-expression.
8. Community Art Initiatives
Get involved in community art initiatives, public art projects, or volunteer opportunities that allow teens to contribute their creative talents to meaningful causes. Whether it’s participating in painting murals or helping out at the Eureka Street Art Festival, organizing art events, or participating in community beautification projects, community art fosters a sense of belonging and civic engagement.
Other places to find local creative activities:
- The Humboldt County Library
- The Arcata Playhouse
- Morris Graves Museum of Art
- At Home in Humboldt lists a myriad of ongoing creative workshops in arts as diverse as Brazilian dance, textile arts, and Karuk language classes.
9. Experiment with Digital Media
Encourage teens to explore digital media platforms for creative expression, such as photography, graphic design, video editing, or animation. Digital tools offer limitless possibilities for creative experimentation.
Whichever form your teen’s creativity takes remind them to be playful with it. Coach them to indulge in wild imaginative fantasies and trust that they can’t get anything wrong in a creative activity. Emphasize the value of creative engagement by being a role model: incorporate creative activities into your own life. Share your interests and passions with your teen then engage in creative projects together as a family.
Benefits of Fostering Creativity
1. Critical Thinking Skills
Creativity encourages teenagers to think up new solutions to solve problems. It allows for an approach to challenges that is flexible and experimental. By fostering creativity, teens develop critical thinking skills that can be valuable in all areas of their lives.
2. Self-Expression and Identity Development
Creativity provides a means for teenagers to express themselves and explore their identities. Engaging in creative activities can open doors to discovering passions, interests, perspectives, even feelings of joy.
3. Creative Challenges and Competitions
Participate in creative challenges or competitions that encourage teens to push their creative boundaries and showcase their talents. Whether it’s a writing contest, art competition, or photography challenge, these opportunities provide motivation and inspiration for teens to pursue their creative passions.
4. Emotional Well-being
Participating in creative activities has been linked to improved emotional well-being and mental health outcomes in teenagers.3 Engaging in creative pursuits such as art, music, writing, or drama provide an outlet for self-expression, stress relief, and emotional processing.
5. Problem-solving Skills
Creative thinking fosters resilience and adaptability, enabling teenagers to approach problems from multiple perspectives and find innovative solutions.
6. Collaboration and Communication
Creative activities often involve collaboration and communication with others, fostering teamwork, empathy, and social skills in teenagers. Working together on creative projects encourages teens to listen to others’ ideas, share their own perspectives, and collaborate effectively to achieve common goals.
Journaling Resources
33 Journaling Prompts for Teens
- What is the best compliment you have ever received?
- In your opinion, what is the best song ever written?
- If you could know one thing about the future, what would it be?
- What is something you feel nervous about right now?
- What is something that you did that you are proud of?
- What calms you down when you get mad or upset?
- What is something that went right today/this week?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
- Make a list of at least 4 ways you can show self-control at school, at work, or at home.
- What would be the title of your autobiography? Write a story that describes why you chose this title.
- Who do you trust the most and why?
- Where do you feel the most safe and why?
- How do you think others view you? Why?
- What do you like the most about yourself? What circumstances allow this part of you to shine?
- What is the first symptom you notice when you feel mad? Stressed? What might happen if you did something to feel better at the first sign of this emotion?
- Who is someone you consider a real-life hero and why?
- Who do you wish you had a better relationship with, and what would make it better?
- When things seem tough, I want to remember ____.
- Write the words that you need to hear.
- What does your best day look like?
- Build a list of 15 songs that can help change your mood.
- Write about three of your best talents.
- List three things that you would do if you weren’t afraid.
- What are five things that help you feel better when things are difficult?
- Write about 10 things you are grateful for.
- What is your favorite memory?
- Choose one thing that triggers your anxiety or depression and write about a few ways that you can combat this trigger.
- What makes you happy?
- How do you define yourself?
- Write about what is going right in your life?
- What’s bothering you? Why?
- What do you want your life to look like in five years? 10 years?
- What are you afraid of? Why?
SOURCES:
1. Bernasconi, Francesca 2024. Digital Creativity: what it is and how to develop it, DynDevice. https://www.dyndevice.com/en/news/digital-creativity-what-it-is-and-how-to-develop-it-ELN-1839/#:~:text=Digital%20creativity%20refers%20to%20the,completely%20new%20point%20of%20view
2. The Teenage Handbook, 2024. Teenagers helping teenagers with teenage issues. https://teenagehandbook.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJSR-7YWDvEy49HYLcLtII-bB_SacVJbmYm2BUQbDcCD0YMCga8GEOBoCzaEQAvD_BwE
3. Newport Academy, 2018. The Link between creativity and mental health. https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/empowering-teens/creativity-and-mental-health/
4. Morris, Rhett and Torok, Lili, 2024. Teens Told Us What They Need To Improve Their Mental Health. Will We Provide It? Next City. https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/teens-told-us-what-they-need-mental-health-research?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJfQt6w5HEbacUhXGMEaN4QvuheWEvNrzuJgXI2inOwgDL11DFAfe_hoCBnoQAvD_BwE
