Has it ever happened that an empty box suddenly turns into a car, a house, a hat, or a spaceship for playing? What you're witnessing is your children's creativity in action. Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, said that "Children have 100 languages, but we steal 99 of them." He wrote the poem "The Hundred Languages of Children," which speaks about all the ways children express themselves: through drawing, dancing, playing, and more. According to Malaguzzi, children have a hundred ways of thinking, expressing themselves, and saying what they want. Taking this as a metaphor, we could say that your children have countless ways of telling you what they feel, think, or imagine. That's why it's so important to value all of these "languages," which are closely tied to creativity and curiosity, in order to support their development. When we talk about creativity, we mean any idea, action, or object that changes something that already exists or transforms it into something new. In other words, it's something all people can develop, not just those with artistic talent, because it's a form of human expression. So pay close attention to what your children are trying to tell you when they play, imitate, draw, or talk to you. Creativity doesn't come alone — it's accompanied by curiosity, which is the engine that sparks it. Have you noticed how your children get lost staring at certain objects? Questions run through their minds like: what will happen if I press that button? Why does the blender make noise? What will happen if I pull the tablecloth? When your children start exploring the world around them, they want to know how things work, why objects come in different sizes, what happens if routines change, and so on. This is what we call curiosity — the drive that pushes us to learn, understand, and solve questions. And chances are, your children are becoming curious about almost everything, and throughout the day all you hear is: why, why, and why. Questions help us start conversations, understand how others think, and build closer bonds. Curiosity shows up in different ways. It can come through direct exploration, like when your children look at something and want to know how it's used, what it's for, and what happens if it breaks. But it can also come through questions, so if your children are in the "why" stage, which happens between 3 and 4 years old, remember that all they're looking for is to understand what's around them and start a conversation with you, their trusted adult. Curiosity sparks creativity, although sometimes children don't take the next step toward actually creating — daring to create requires a good amount of courage. That's why we want to share some recommendations to help you encourage their creativity. Creativity thrives on: Moments of relaxation, like taking a bath, listening to soft music, or going for a short walk — this helps the mind connect ideas more easily. Switching activities from time to time, having flexible routines with varied activities throughout the day instead of staying on the same task for too long. When these two conditions are met, creativity has an easier time showing up. You can apply this to yourself too, at work or throughout the day — look for moments to slow down, take a breath, and switch activities from time to time. This will also help you be more creative with your children, coming up with new ways to play or support their development. Now, here are some simple recommendations to encourage creativity and curiosity in your children: Do activities they enjoy, like drawing, dancing, or playing their favorite game. Play music, explore different rhythms and musical genres, and make up fun dance moves together. Set up an inspiration space at home to help them create, with simple materials of different shapes, colors, and textures, or a box filled with things like modeling clay, crayons, markers, building blocks, fabric, bottle caps, and more. Enjoy free play — let them explore on their own and discover or answer their own questions through what they do. Try new things, like visiting new places, trying new foods, or changing up the routine. If you're in the "why" stage, instead of giving the answer, respond with another question: what do you think it is? How do you think it works? Creativity is one of the 21st-century skills, part of the Inter-American Development Bank's initiative to raise better citizens. It makes problem-solving easier and helps us see the world from different perspectives. Our students learn through curiosity and exploration. We know students have many ways of expressing themselves, and understanding them is essential to the teaching-learning process. Thanks to the teaching methods we use, they feel confident asking questions and exploring, and in doing so, they build their own learning while developing their creativity and curiosity in a safe, loving, and fun environment. DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE: https://dev.elyxirdigital.com/cbnh/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBNH-Despertar-Creatividad-y-curiosidad.pdf
