17 Oct Spook Up Your Creativity This Halloween

 Top Tips from craft expert Shannon Wong-Nizic

Whether it’s carving pumpkins or making decorations, Halloween is a great opportunity to engage in creative activities that celebrate fun, imagination and family togetherness.

“Crafting requires cooperation and shared decision-making. Families can share laughs, stories, and ideas, creating lasting memories whilst crafting. The process of crafting together nurtures relationships and fosters a sense of belonging, making everyone feel more connected,” says craft expert Shannon Wong-Nizic.

Shannon says that one of the most significant barriers to creativity is the fear of making mistakes; “Children often associate mistakes with failure, which can stifle their creative instincts.” She says that as parents, it’s vital to shift this perspective by promoting a growth mindset.

She shares the following tips:

Model a Positive Attitude:

Children learn by watching their parents. Demonstrate a healthy attitude toward mistakes by sharing your own experiences. Talk openly about times you’ve made errors and what you learned from them. This will help normalise mistakes in your child’s eyes.

Praise Effort Over Outcome: Focus on the process rather than the final product. When your child engages in a creative activity, commend their effort, enthusiasm, and exploration. For instance, if they’re drawing, celebrate the fact that they tried a new way to depict something, regardless of the result.

Create a Safe Space: Establish an environment where mistakes are welcomed. Encourage your child to take risks in their creative endeavours without the pressure of perfection. Allow them to express their ideas freely, knowing that the outcome isn’t what matters most.

Provide Resources:

Stock your home with various creative materials—paints, clay, craft supplies, and recycled materials. The more resources available, the more opportunities your child will have to explore their creativity.  Erasable markers and textas are great as kids can rub out mistakes or change their minds as they go. It’s a great way for them to build confidence.

Engage in Creative Activities Together: Dedicate time to arts and crafts as a family. This allows children to learn new skills and strengthens family bonds. Choose projects encouraging collaboration, such as directed drawings or projects for special occasions.

Incorporate Play into Learning: Turn everyday activities into creative projects. For instance, cooking can become a fun science experiment, while gardening can spark conversations about nature and responsibility.

This Halloween, Shannon has developed free downloadable craft activities using ‘directed drawing’ techniques, which offer many developmental benefits.

“Directed drawing can help develop children’s fine motor skills, boost confidence and encourage creativity and critical thinking,” says Shannon.

To download, visit: www.pilotpen.com.au

Shannon Wong is a teacher, mum of three, and avid crafter. An enthusiastic fan of pom poms, PVA, and paint, she runs a popular blog and online parenting resource dedicated to all things creative, https://ohcreativeday.com/, and has over 40,000 followers on Instagram.