In his work, psychologist Benjamin Bloom concluded that almost all people can learn anything if provided with the right conditions, and that when a child commits to a talent area, parents must commit as well. Author Ken Kiewra studied real-world prodigies in various domains and shares his perspective on the conditions necessary for success and on…

Young Children and the Arts: Nurturing Imagination and Creativity examines the place of the arts in the experiences of young and very young children at home and in out-of-home settings at school and in the community. There is great need for development of resources in the arts specifically designed to introduce babies and toddlers to participatory…

Eight suggestions are offered for parents and teachers to maximize children's creative potential. Suggestions touch on such aspects as balance between interpersonal and intrapersonal experiences, allowance for comfortable regression in growth patterns, and well-defined standards of discipline and conduct. (CL)

THE CREATIVE SPIRIT BEGINS ITS GROWTH WITH A CHILD'S ATTEMPTS TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD ABOUT HIM AND TO EXPRESS HIS FEELINGS. PRESERVATION AND NURTURE OF THE CREATIVE SPIRIT CAN HELP A CHILD GROW INTO A CREATIVE, CONSTRUCTIVE ADULT. THE CONCEPTS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CHILD REARING IMPLICIT IN THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH ARE…

Characteristics of the creative child (such as environmental sensitivity and individuality) are described, problems of the highly creative child are discussed, and the role of the parent in overcoming problems and nurturing creativity is examined (CL)

In attempting to balance the requirements of social structure and the empowering initiative of creativity in children, numerous obstacles must be confronted, including insecurity; fear of uncertainty; ritualistic problem solving; dogmatic, dichotomous thinking; inner resourcelessness; lack of playfulness; restricted affect; forcing premature…

Intended for parents and teachers of gifted and talented children, the book discusses identification criteria and educational strategies for developing their potential. Case studies of gifted and talented children are cited and a checklist of common characteristics is provided. Suggestions are given for fostering creativity in the home; and…

Examines play as it relates to the development and expression of creativity in preschool youngsters and, specifically, the role of parents and the environment in the development and nurturance of such creativity in young children. Also discusses the educational implications of these findings. (MDM)

This article examines characteristics of the young creative child, offers suggestions to encourage the development of creativity, and reviews potential problems associated with creative children. Suggestions include giving freedom and encouragement, using appropriate questioning techniques, and providing opportunities for creative thinking. (JDD)

Describes some of the methods a children's book illustrator has used to create a book using ordinary objects combined to form a type of collage. Discusses the importance of children having a place of their own to use materials and be creative and pays tribute to her parents' influence. (LRW)

Problems which arise in the heterogeneously gifted family are briefly discussed; and suggestions for parent, teacher, and counselor stimulation of creativity are offered. (SBH)

Three pamphlets (Practitioner's Guides) present guidelines from the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Connecticut. The guidelines are based on theory-driven quality research that is problem-based, practice-relevant, and consumer-oriented. Each pamphlet has a section summarizing research from the literature or…

Case studies of six gifted productive youth (9-18 years old) were conducted to search for the special environmental conditions and personality characteristics that precede and accompany such productivity. Interviews were held with the students, their parents, and their teachers. Students were also requested to keep a journal to record their…

The paper examines the nature of creativity and blockages to its expression especially in home and school settings in South Africa. A definition of creativity is offered which stresses the production of an original outcome or achievement. The creative process is broken down into the steps of preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification.…

This paper has reviewed knowledge to date on parental antecedents of "creativity" or divergent thinking in children, and reports discussion of this material by participants at an invitational conference. Methods of establishing criterion measures for assessment of "creativity" consist, at the present time, of the following: (1) judgments by peers…