7 Exciting Ways to Boost Children's Creativity Through Free Play

Children are innately creative. Give them a pile of sand and a splash of water, and you’ll witness the beginnings of an imaginary kingdom, a mud kitchen, or a dinosaur excavation site. Creativity is not just about painting or drawing — it’s about how children think, explore, and engage with the world around them.

As a paediatric occupational therapist with decades of experience, I’ve seen how free play can significantly boost a child’s creativity, problem-solving ability, and emotional development. Here are 7 practical and powerful ways to encourage creative development in early childhood through unstructured play.

1. Encourage Free and Unstructured Play

Play is the work of the child.
Free play allows children to lead, make decisions, and express themselves. Unlike structured activities, free play gives children the freedom to explore their own interests and use their imagination without adult direction.

Whether it’s building a fort with blankets or pretending to be a shopkeeper, these moments develop initiative, creativity, and independence.

Tip: Set aside daily time for unstructured play. Avoid over-scheduling your child’s day.

2. Show Examples Without Setting Limits

Modelling ideas or showing sample projects can inspire creativity, but be careful not to dictate the outcome. Children should know that your examples are starting points, not rules.

Encourage them to change, combine, or reinvent what they see. This helps build flexibility in thinking and promotes a growth mindset.

Example: Instead of “Make this paper dog,” try saying, “Here’s one way to make a paper animal. What animal would you like to make?”

3. Offer a Variety of Materials

Providing access to a wide range of open-ended, sensory-rich materials supports imaginative and exploratory play. Think beyond crayons and glue:

• Natural items like shells, rocks, and leaves

• Loose parts like buttons, bottle caps, fabric scraps

• Water, sand, clay, and dough

These materials allow children to create without boundaries and engage their senses, important for brain development and emotional regulation.

Tip: Keep a “creativity box” at home with rotating materials.

4. Encourage Storytelling and Narrative Play

Storytelling is a rich, imaginative experience that enhances vocabulary, sequencing, and emotional expression. Read books together and pause to ask:

• “What do you think will happen next?”

• “What would you do if you were that character?”

Invite children to create stories, act them out with toys or dress-ups, or even draw them as picture books.

Benefit: Narrative play supports literacy, social understanding, and memory.

5. Support Problem-Solving Without Jumping In

When children face a challenge during play, give them time and space to work through it before offering help. This builds resilience, perseverance, and flexible thinking.

Whether it’s figuring out how to build a taller tower or resolving a dispute with a sibling, problem-solving during play prepares children for real-life situations.

Tip: Use prompts like, “What else could you try?” or “What do you think might work?”

6. Value the Process, Not Just the Product

Creative play is about the doing, not just the outcome. Children learn more from exploring, testing, and experimenting than from producing something “perfect.”

Celebrate their ideas, effort, and discoveries rather than focusing on neatness or final results. This encourages innovation and helps children feel proud of their unique approach.
Phrase to use: “Tell me about what you made!” rather than “That’s beautiful.”

7. Foster Curiosity and Wonder

Curiosity is the spark behind all creativity. Give children opportunities to ask questions, investigate how things work, and try new experiences.

• Go on nature walks and collect interesting items

• Ask “what if” questions during everyday routines

• Encourage children to make predictions and test ideas

Open-ended activities like sensory bins, science experiments, or imaginative role-play help children develop a lifelong love of learning.

Tip: Keep a “wonder wall” where children can write or draw questions and explore answers over time.

Final Thoughts: Creativity Is a Skill Worth Nurturing

Creative thinking is essential for success in school, relationships, and life. By providing opportunities for free play, problem-solving, storytelling, and hands-on exploration, you are giving children the tools to think critically, express themselves, and build confidence.

Let’s nurture creativity not just for art’s sake but also for the development of strong, adaptable, and emotionally intelligent children.