How to develop your child's creativity

I think it all started when my six years old son, Aiman, accompanied me to buy some fish. The table that displayed all the fish was in front of a row of houses. Two small kids were attending the stall, a small boy of about Aiman's age and his older brother. They weighted the fish I have chosen and used a calculator to calculate the amount of money that I had to pay. Their father was monitoring them from the yard of their house behind the stall. Aiman asked a lot of questions about the boys. Later on he mentioned about putting up a stall in front of our house to sell the talapia fish that were reared in our two ponds.

When my husband bought a wild chicken with its nine chicks, Aiman asked him what are my husband's plan for it. Fleetingly my husband just mentioned that he is going to sell the chicks when they are big enough because wild chicken are expensive. Aiman asked my husband if he is going to put up a stall in front of the house to do that. My husband explained to him how we can sell using the internet. It was obvious that my little Aiman is interested in business.

My eldest son came home and bought for Aiman an ice cream container that can hold four ice creams. Two days after that we were surprised when a kid rang our bell and told us that she wanted to buy an ice cream. We thought there must be a mistake some where. Then one evening a few kids came to buy ice cream from Aiman. To our surprised Aiman had taken orders from his friends. He served them ice cream that he made himself. He even took orders for the next day. So yesterday I make some Malaysian ice cream to help and support Aiman in his business. We were further surprised when Aiman put up a sticker outside our gate saying 'open'. And when we are going out he will change the sticker to 'close'. Wow! He had put a lot of thinking and effort on how to make his business a success. He even asked me to prepare the type of ice cream that his friends had pre ordered so that he will not lose his customers.

As a family, we always entertain all his questions to our best and little Aiman really have a lot of questions to ask. Sometimes I will answer his questions by asking him back his questions innocently. Then after a short pause he will said, "....oh I know mama, it is like that because......"

Eureka! I have further enhanced his creativity.

If we are impatient to entertain his many questions Aiman wouldn't be a businessman at the age of six. I let him do things that he can handle at his age which are not dangerous. So AIman can prepare ice blended coming back from kindergarden. Of course the kitchen will be messy after that but I have to be patient to develop as many skills as he can gain.

May Allah bless us all.