Do you remember being a child and how creative you were? You probably spent hours upon hours playing make-believe with your friends, coming up with stories and worlds that were entirely your own. You might also love making a story out of toys from the name train depot. Most children are very creative, but this creativity usually fades as they get older as become more focused on the “real world.”
Scientists have been trying to figure out why this is, and they have come up with some pretty interesting theories. In this post, we’ll break down some of the scientific reasons why children are more creative than adults. We will also explore how adults can regain their childhood creativity. Let’s get started.
Kids Have Less Constraints in the Real World
One of the main reasons why children are more creative than adults is because they have fewer constraints on the real world. As kids, their minds are not bogged down by social conventions, rules, and responsibilities that often plague adult life. They can freely create whatever comes to mind without worrying about what other people will think or if it will even work. A study by the University of Iowa found that kids were more likely to make creative leaps in their thinking. On the contrary, adults were more likely to think logically.
Kids Have Access to a Wider Range of Cognitive Processes
Children also have access to a wider variety of cognitive processes than adults. While adults are typically focused on one specific task, kids can explore different ideas and play around with them until something useful is created. This allows them to come up with more creative solutions to problems and think outside the box. As a matter of fact, toys like Legos and puzzles are designed to help children develop their creative thinking skills. And they have more free time to play with their Legos than adults.
Social Pressures Are Lessened for Children
Speaking of social constraints, research has shown that children are less likely to be inhibited by the opinions of others when it comes to their creativity. They don’t feel pressure to conform or be a certain way to fit into society. As adults, we often worry about what people will think of our ideas and whether they will be accepted or not. This can make it difficult for adults to express their creative ideas freely. Not to mention, adults often feel that their ideas need to be perfect before even considering sharing them.
So, how do we embrace our inner child? While there are several scientific reasons why children tend to be more creative than adults, the good news is that you can still unleash your inner child and get back into a more creative mindset. Start by doing activities that don’t involve any judgment or pressure. That could be anything from doodling to crafting or just taking a walk outside and observing the world around you. Anything that encourages free thinking and exploration can help spark your creativity.
