Thoughts for the Week:

Everyone is creative, and each of us has his or her own unique way of expressing that creativity. Being creative is part of being human. When children pretend about how they would like things to be, they are trying out creative alternatives to life's experiences. The three-year-old who misses her mother can pretend to talk to her on the phone and creatively keep her mother with her through make-believe.

Making and doing is another way that children express their creativity. Painting a picture, completing a project, building a block city all require creative problem-solving. Feeling good about things they have made can help children develop a sense of pride in themselves as unique and worthwhile individuals. Children's projects might not always turn out the way we adults expect, but they reflect a child's own expression of creativity.