Date: 03/16/99 22:15

By Melinda Marshall
Parenting magazine

How many times have we all heard -- or said -- something like, "Kids are so creative"?

Well, kids are more curious and less inhibited than grown-ups, which makes them seem more ingenious. But true creativity or imagination or whatever you want to call it must be cultivated if it's to last a lifetime.

Here's how:

18 months to 3 years:

The key to coaxing out the first tendrils of imagination lies in gratifying a toddler's greatest urge: to imitate you. To accomplish this, furnish your child with toy versions of such real-world stuff as vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, dishes, shopping carts, cars and strollers -- toys that look like the real thing -- and let her mimic adult activities.

Help him flesh out his play with simple figures, animals and plush toys. Participate and encourage, but only on cue -- if you catch sight of your toddler putting "baby" to bed, for instance, prompt him to elaborate by saying, "Should we read him a story?" or "Shall we turn down the lights and rock him?" Just remember that it's his game; he should feel in control of the action.

3 to 6 years:

Look around any preschool, and you'll be confronted with tried-and-true make-believe boosters -- blocks, dress-up clothes, crayons, paints and modeling clay. You can't go wrong by creating a similar home environment -- one that also allows for endless imaginative scenarios (a pile of sand in the yard, a kitchen sinkful of suds, lots of open floor space).

Look for construction toys but avoid those that are designed to be assembled into only one shape, such as blocks that fit together to make a dinosaur or helicopter.

And be sure to honor your trash -- the box Buzz Lightyear came in may prove to be far more interesting than the prescripted movie spin-off itself.

6 to 8 years:

Expand your notion of the ideal play environment beyond the playroom, and consider the household materials your youngster already covets -- the stuff in the broom closet, the coats hanging in storage, the small appliances in the kitchen cabinets, the tools in the garage. Then be prepared to lend a little guidance and stomach some mess.

Don't jettison old appliances or broken technology; allow children to dissect them and cannibalize parts for new "machines," musical instruments or devices.

Make sure the toy box isn't full of things that supplant your child's fantasies with those spun off from movies, cartoons or videos. Ditto for the computer: Choose software that allows your child to make her mark.

8 years and up:

Supposedly these are the years when school can force the imagination underground. To make sure it has an outlet, create an environment that nurtures creativity, where your child has real materials that give her the power to implement her own unique vision.

Don't allow your youngster to lounge in front of the TV. Instead, show her the basic functions of a camcorder and give her a cassette to fill. Make regular outings to the library to keep her supply of reading material compelling, and replace passive video or computer games with access to parks, forests, interactive museums and zoos.

All content © 1999 The Kansas City Star

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