Childhood Creativity: Regaining the Joy of Creating

One vivid memory of my childhood creativity involves an imaginary battle. A classmate in elementary school came up with a drawing contest that only a little boy would. Four of us would draw a car with the best imaginary weapons they could think of. Then, we’d compare drawings to determine who would win in a battle if they were real. My drawing wasn’t as good and I lost—mostly because I couldn’t convince them my made-up weapons were more powerful.

Even though I lost, I remember how fun it was to create a fantastical car that previously only existed in my head. Looking back as an adult, I realize that I’d lost some of that joy of childhood creativity that once had and wondered how I could get it back. If you’ve lost some of that joy also, maybe you’ll get something out of this.

The joys of childhood creativity

A child’s creative imagination is limitless. When children first start drawing—creating something with both their minds and hands—doubt and pressure for perfection doesn’t hinder them. It’s more about the process than the outcome. Just enjoying getting what’s in their heads onto paper—even if adults can’t see it. Many parent’s fridges are covered in crude drawings of unusual creatures out of their child’s imaginations and scenes of what’s important in their child’s lives.

“Here’s mommy and daddy and me and Pete the dog standing in front of our house and my best friend Julie is walking up to say hi…and there’s some clouds and the sun and some grass and smoke coming out of the chimney.”

When children are experiencing the joy of this process, they don’t care about how perfect it looks—that nobody’s feet are that big or that the human hand actually has five fingers.

Losing the joy of creativity

However, in each child’s creative journey, they’ll experience things that can hinder that creative joy. It may be when they really start comparing their drawings to others with more talent or receive too much negative feedback. Well-meaning teachers encourage comparison by displaying “the best” drawings before the class. When a child sees other’s work and talent surpass their own, they may lose the confidence to try harder or create something that is uniquely theirs.

Some kids may not be getting enough positive meaningful feedback from teachers, parents, or friends. These kids may need feedback and advice on their creations to improve their talents. If every drawing is fridge worthy, they might not try anything better and get bored with the process.

These same experiences and feelings from childhood may hinder our creativity as adults.

Regaining the joy of creativity

The best way to regain the joy of creativity is by focusing on the process more than the result. Otherwise, pressure for perfection can keep you from finishing or starting at all.

Being realistic about your expectations from the beginning can help protect yourself from unnecessary pressure. Your creation may not look like the perfect picture on Pinterest did the first time you try it.

Learn to be okay with where you are in the development of your creativity and talent. That perfect Pinterest project was probably created by someone with years more experience, but that doesn’t mean that yours can’t be good enough and just as fulfilling. It might even be more fulfilling to use the given example as a starting point to create something with your own unique spin on it.

Look at some of your old creations if possible to remember some of that joy of childhood creativity. You may also find good reminders on the Internet. Some people are finding cool ways to preserve childhood art—like creating realistic childhood art paintings or by turning childhood creations into stuffed dolls.

If you focus on appreciating the process more than the result, then your results should naturally improve. Experiencing the joy of creativity and it’s something I sometimes need to keep reminding myself whenever I start a personal project.