Einstein said “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.”
Children’s minds are naturally open and curious. They learn about life through play. They should have all kinds of opportunities to strengthen their imaginations with open-ended activities, so they can begin to make unexpected connections.
Imagining helps solve problems. When we are able to imagine different solutions, we become curious enough to keep moving through a problem, keep researching, keep trying out different solutions until we find one that works. Children are naturally curious and ask questions constantly. Help to nurture their curiosity.
Our imaginations help us become more resourceful. If we use our imaginations, we can get better at making something out of nothing. Take a recipe, for example, if we have limited ingredients, with a little imagination, we can create an unexpected combination of foods that become a whole new delicious meal. Because of their open-mindedness, children are really good at putting together unexpected things. Help them foster that quality.
It makes sense, right? Our imagination is like a muscle that needs to be exercised. The earlier we start flexing it, the stronger it becomes.