The power of imagination

IMAGINATION IS LIKE A MUSCLE…and like any muscle it needs exercise. Just as our limbs weaken when we don’t use them so it is with our imagination.

In the 25 years that I’ve been teaching storytelling and sharing stories I’ve witnessed a significant drop in children’s capacity to engage in self-directed or free play.

There’s conclusive research evidence that free play isn’t only fun but also has wide-reaching neurological benefits, literally shaping the brains of our young children, improving their cognitive, emotional, social and physical skills.

A child’s play first emerges out of the impulse to imitate. Imagination then rises out of this imitation. Therefore these three; imitation, play and imagination, are inextricably linked.

I’m passionate about supporting families to share stories together to improve their ability to imagine and play.

Young children, particularly up to the age of 6, imitate everything around them, from the people in their lives to the environment in which they find themselves. It’s a deep seated impulse which facilitates not only their survive but also their development and growth.

I’m always fascinated to observe this impulse to imitate, which includes copying both the action and the reaction to the task. Take, for example, an adult preparing a meal. As the adult cooks, the child will copy their action. Imagine first that the adult being observed enjoys cooking, then you’ll notice that the child helps in this same contemplative or happy way. However if this same adult is cross, stressed or in a hurry it will reflect in the way the child prepares the food. Therefore, the child is copying both the act of cooking and the internal feelings present in the adult.

From this first point of imitation follows a second stage, the spark of creativity; for example cooking in the sandpit or driving to ‘work’ in a cardboard box. The imagination of the child begins to blossom around 3 years old and will continue to grow if we nurture it, providing the necessary ingredient of space, time and credibility.

If, however, we starve the imagination of these three vital ingredients by over stimulating our children, putting them under constant time pressures or dismissing the act of free play as unnecessary or wasteful then we rob them of one of the most precious gifts available to us. In our stressed, busy world it’s easy to overlook how important it is to slow down, for children to be languid and perhaps even a little bored.

I’ve observed the exponential positive impact on children, not only in schools but also in family homes, when they’re given the opportunity to play, uninterrupted, with an adult present, modelling behaviours worthy of imitation.

I believe that an active and healthy imagination is crucial to everyone at every age. It helps with, amongst other things, literacy; problem solving; articulating ideas; reasoning and debating; writing business plans; delivering presentations; creating new opportunities, connecting with our loved ones. It enables us to think outside the box and to live to our fullest potential. Research scientists and artists alike need strong imaginative forces to do their work well.

As a professional storyteller I work with people of all ages to help them to stimulate and improve their imaginations.

Storytelling starts with the imagination. Stories improve the intelligence and knowledge of both the teller and the listener, increasing mental and emotional capacity.

These warm summer holiday months are a perfect time to give your imagination a good workout. Here are some suggestions from which to choose, to share with the whole family
 

1. Let yourself daydream without doing anything. There’s nothing better to repair our imaginations than this seeming emptiness. I challenge you to unplug yourselves from electronic devices for a day and allow yourselves to get bored - you may be surprised how many creative ideas and thoughts rise in you and your children. Don’t save them when it gets uncomfortable, this could well be the storm required before the creativity!

2. Spend time looking up at the clouds to see what pictures emerge and disappear. Share the first image you see as you watch it morph from one image to the next. Start a story based on these pictures, passing the tale back and forth between you, one sentence at a time.

3. How about some ‘People Watching’? A game I loved to play with my children, on the bus or train, was to look at the feet of the person opposite us without looking up to see the whole of them (no peeping!). Create a story in your head about a character, who they are, where they live, where they’re going, who they’re going to meet. When you’re home make up a story combining your separate stories.

4. Tell the story of your day, to someone you love or out loud to yourself, just before bedtime. Can you tell it backwards beginning at the end of your day and working through to the beginning? Your imagination will be thrilled.

5. Write and/or draw in a journal for 10 minutes every morning. It doesn’t need to make any sense, you don’t even need to re-read it. Research has shown that getting our thoughts out onto paper on a regular basis has numerous benefits including being more relaxed and creative during the day. Who knows you might start to write a story….

6. Experiment with playing a musical instrument for a few minutes a day. Perhaps a simple one like a penny whistle, tambourine or even a large comb covered in greaseproof paper! As you practice see how you improve day by day.

7. Watch a small creature, for example a bird, ant or spider, for up to 3 minutes without distraction. It’s more difficult than it seems but, once you’ve observed it intently for as long as you can, create a story from the perspective of this creature. Young children might only be able to focus for a few seconds but day after day this will increase and you’ll be amazed at the stories unfolding from this, and you’re likely to experience moments of calm and stillness as a lucky side effect too!

8. Above all enjoy a moment together, right now, engaging all your senses. Eyes and ears open, breathing in the air, touching and tasting consciously. Be alive to this moment, for a few minutes every day.

Here’s to strengthening the muscle of imagination! In giving it a good stretch it will repay you and your family bountifully for many years to come.

If you’d like to learn more about storytelling join me for one of my story workshops or ‘Spontaneous Storytelling Sessions’. Imagination is one of my three main pillars I teach during my ‘Introduction to Spontaneous Storytelling’ workshops.

Visit www.danyahmillerstoryteller.co.uk (Whats On), sign up to my monthly newsletter or follow me on facebook @danyahmillerstoryteller