Creativity Isn’t Just Cute—It Builds Character

“Don’t climb up the slide!”
If you’re a parent, you’ve said it.
If you’re a kid, you’ve done it.

It’s a simple moment. But it raises a deeper question:
What do we do with creativity that’s… inconvenient?

Sure, we celebrate creativity when it comes home in an art project. But what about the kind of creativity that shows up in the parking lot, with a stick that becomes a sword and a sibling who becomes an unwilling sidekick?

What if we told you that kind of messy, imaginative, play-driven creativity might be one of the most important tools your child has—not just for fun, but for life?

On today's podcast, Dr. Kathy and I explored why creativity matters more than we think. And why, as a parent, it’s worth noticing, and nurturing

Nature Doesn’t Hand Out Instructions—It Hands Out Invitations

There’s growing research that shows time spent in nature can help kids lower stress, regulate emotion, and boost attention. But it does something else too: it awakens imagination.

Dr. Cathy Jordan from the University of Minnesota describes creativity as a room with many doors. As kids grow, culture and structure slowly close those doors. But nature? Nature throws those doors wide open again.

A stick becomes a wand. A hill becomes a fortress. A flower becomes a blueprint for color theory.

Out there, kids don’t need a manual—they need margin.

Creativity Builds More Than Imagination. It Builds Character.

As Dr. Kathy shared, two of the 48 character qualities she teaches in her book, Parent Differently, are flexibility and resourcefulness, and both require creativity.

Think about it: when something doesn’t go as planned (and let’s be real—when does it ever go exactly as planned?), a child who is creative can pivot. They don’t panic. They try something new. They adapt, problem-solve, and persevere. That’s resilience. That’s maturity. That’s real-life readiness.

Creativity doesn’t just entertain, it trains.

“But My Teen Is Still Pretending to Fight Invisible Bad Guys…”

Yes. That’s okay.

We tend to think kids should outgrow imagination. But maybe imagination is what’s growing them.

Your 6-year-old running through the woods with imaginary friends? Delightful.
Your 13-year-old acting out a fantasy role play? Possibly therapeutic.
Your child pretending instead of scrolling? Worth applauding.

Creativity is often how kids process stress, regulate emotions, and rehearse bravery. It’s not an escape from reality; it’s practice for engaging it. And yes, they’ll grow into the real world. But we don’t have to rush them out of wonder to get there.

What If My Kid Isn’t That Creative?

The truth? They are.

You just might not be seeing it in traditional ways.
Maybe they don’t draw or act or daydream. But they may be creative in how they move, how they ask questions, or how they build. Creativity shows up in the way we solve problems, tell jokes, rearrange furniture, or even choose clothes.

We’re not raising carbon copies. We’re raising image bearers of the Creator.

And that means creativity is part of our design.

God Started With Creativity—And So Should We

Genesis 1 doesn’t open with a rulebook. It opens with a Creator forming a world.
He shapes, names, separates, orders, and blesses.

Then He makes us, humans, in His image.
And what’s one of the first things He asks us to do?

Be fruitful. Multiply. Fill the earth. Subdue it.
Those are creative words. Purposeful words. Powerful words.

Creativity isn’t fluff. It’s formational.

It’s how we learn to think, to lead, to love, and to build.
And it starts not just with what our kids do, but how we see what they’re doing.

Let’s call it out. Let’s celebrate it. Let’s help them carry it forward.

Engage the 8 Great Smarts to Nurture Creativity

Use your child’s strengths to inspire creative growth:

• Word Smart:
  Write stories together about imaginary adventures in the backyard. Let kids narrate what they saw, who they “met,” and how they “won the battle.”

• Logic Smart:
  Create challenges like “How many ways can you make 11?” or “What can you build using only these 3 items?” Let problem-solving drive their play.

• Picture Smart:
  Bring sketchbooks outdoors. Ask your child to draw what they see—or what they imagine lives in the woods, sky, or garden.

• Music Smart:
  Invite your kids to create a theme song for their adventure. Or play background music during outdoor time and talk about how it changes their creativity.

• Body Smart:
  Encourage kids to act out their stories through movement—jumping over “lava,” climbing trees, pretending to build forts. Creativity is physical, too.

• Nature Smart:
  Explore the colors, textures, and patterns in nature. Go on “pattern hunts,” collect leaves, or observe bugs. Nature unlocks endless curiosity.

• People Smart:
  Invite friends over for group imaginative play. Assign characters, set up a backyard stage, or build a pretend village with roles and storylines.

• Self Smart:
  After playtime, ask your child what they loved about their adventure. Let them reflect and journal about what they imagined and how it made them feel.

Remember: Creativity is not just fun. It’s holy. It’s how God made us.
And it’s one of the greatest tools your child has to become all He created them to be.