Creativity is a thought process. But to hear our thoughts, we need to turn off the noise and tune into what our mind can imagine. Being comfortable in a quiet atmosphere needs to start in childhood. Here are 10 ways to help your kids enjoy being quiet.

10 Quiet Activities for Kid

1. Arts and Crafts:  Offer a wide variety of options, for any age and any interest level. Whether it’s craft sticks and pipe cleaners, building materials or jewelry-making kits, head to your local arts and crafts store and scour the aisles for supplies or prepackaged activity sets that will interest your child. These kinds of activities engage the hands while the mind imagines and creates.
2. Building with Legos:  Legos and other construction toy sets provide hours of quiet, focused activity. While your child is deep in thought assembling pieces, their mind is learning to see and imagine, three dimensionally. Prepackaged sets help kids learn to see and follow directions, while independent pieces allow for more creative assemblages. Provide a balance of both.
3. Head Outside: Enjoy the great outdoors with your kids, even if it’s your own backyard. Take walks together, lie in the grass and see shapes in the clouds, spend an evening counting stars, tell stories around the campfire or catch lightening bugs on warm summer nights. Whatever you decide to do will be special time together.
4. Drawing and Coloring: Crayons, markers and sketchpads provide endless opportunity for time spent in quiet reflective thought. Be sure to stock up on lots of different drawing and coloring supplies for your child. A package of copy machine paper and set of washable markers are a low cost investment with a high return.
5. Listen to Music: With so much sound happening all around us, this may not seem like a quiet activity. But music can be an excellent background to other quiet activities, especially when we are careful to choose when and what kind of music. Play classical or instrumental music while kids are busy with hands-on projects, or just be still and simply enjoy listening.
6. Read Books: Some kids spend time reading by choice. For others, it’s a lifetime love that needs to be cultivated. Set aside time to read with your child and to your child. Choose books that interest them, while including new ideas and adventures. Participate in local library reading programs. Let your child see you reading — real books with paper pages.
7. Solo Playtime: Encourage your child to spend time playing in their room, alone. This may seem a bit obvious but is often overlooked in the flurry of scheduled activity. Whether your child’s a natural or “alone time” needs to be developed, it has a far reaching impact. Be sure your child has a variety of age-appropriate toys that leave plenty of room for his imagination.
8. Play the piano: Music lessons have value far beyond instrument competency. They enhance academic abilities, provide an activity children can do independently and one that may follow them into adulthood. Don’t have a real piano in the house? Not to worry, small portable keyboards are perfect for little fingers to practice. Keep the learning fun — but make it real.
9. Bath time: Instead of another rushed activity to fit into an overly busy day, fill the tub, gather the bath toys — bubbles or no bubbles — and invite your child to enjoy a peaceful end-of-day bath. Don’t rush it. Be nearby with a book, tidy a closet or get things ready for tomorrow. Use the time to enjoy your own moments of stillness.
10. Writing in Journal: Encourage your child to write in a journal regularly. The pages may be filled with words, pictures, stories or doodles, depending on their age and learning style. Having a special time and place to record their thoughts brings rich rewards. Keep it fun, and switch it up with special notebooks, a fancy pen or colorful markers.

Bette Fetter Founder and CEO of Young Rembrandts and Author of Being Visual [email protected] Follow Bette on Twitter