Reading to Stimulate Creative Thinking
Reading books is a great way to stimulate creativity and imagination, but too often we rely on the familiar and don’t seek out the unexpected. To really get the creative juices flowing, reading should be an engaging and thought-provoking experience.
To start, pick the right books. Reading about the same topics or genres may lead to a certain mental rut. Broaden your reading horizons to books outside your comfort zone by trying new genres or topics, or seeking out works from authors with a varied perspective. Not only can reading about unfamiliar topics provide exposure to new ideas, it can also open up pathways to creative thought and problem-solving.
Seek out books that encourage creative thinking. Authors like Dr Seuss, Shel Silverstein, and Maurice Sendak offer stories that provoke creative thinking and stimulate imagination in creative ways. These types of stories don’t just entertain – they also encourage readers to think outside the box and explore different possibilities.
However, reading isn’t just for children. Adults can benefit from books that inspire creative thought as well, such as works by Toni Morrison, J.M. Coetzee, and J.D. Salinger. In addition, non-fiction titles like Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers and David Allen’s Getting Things Done encourage readers to make connections and think of new ways of looking at the world.
Creative Reading Activities for Kids
Involving children in creative reading activities can help to stimulate their imaginations and sharpen their critical thinking skills. Here are a few examples of activities to get started:
1. Create characters from the book. Select a book from your child’s reading list, and make the characters come to life. Invite your child to act out the story or paint portraits of the characters.
2. Use props to create a story. Give your child a few props – like a hat, book, paper, or crayons – and ask them to create a story from it. Encourage them to think outside the box and use their imagination.
3. Have fun with puns. Come up with a list of words related to a certain book, and then turn them into puns. For example, if the book is Alice in Wonderland, the puns could be “falling down a rabbit hole,” “Cheshire grins,” and “Mad Hatter tea-terrific.”
4. Make a movie poster. Create a poster for the book your child is currently reading. Ask them to come up with a clever tagline or depict a scene from the book on the poster.
5. Role-play the story. Make costumes, set the stage, and have your child role-play the characters from the book. This is a fun way to bring the characters to life and encourages creative thinking and problem-solving.
For parents, foster creative thinking in their children by encouraging them to explore their interests. Reading should be an enjoyable and stimulating experience, so make sure to pick titles that challenge children to think in new and creative ways. You can always go and search for the best-selling books to pick up the best books for your children. Doing so can help to spark their imagination and give them the confidence to explore their own ideas.
There are a lot of popular books available by famous Indian Authors that deserve to be read by your kids —and— you can try as well.
But below are some best 3 storybooks that are recommended for kids by one of the best CBSE schools in Delhi.
This is the perfect time to explore these genres as all your kids are attempting online schooling during the pandemic.The White Tiger - Novel by Aravind AdigaA novel of modern India comes in the New York Times bestseller list.
Writer Adiga itself says his novel endeavor to catch the voice of the men you meet as you travel India.
Kids would enjoy reading The white Tiger as it's interesting and teaches a lot of moral values that are localized to our culture and tradition.Ammachi's Amazing Machines - Written by Rajiv EipeThis book, at its heart, is a great STEM book for its presentation of the concepts of tools being used in real life.
Read this book with your kids as its concept come to life in painstaking detail as Sooraj and his Ammachi (South Indian word for grandmother) set out to make Coconut Burfis together.
Are you looking for best books to reading?
Lists of the absolute best books to read across many genres, both fiction and nonfiction, curated by best-selling author, Robert West.
