Marissa Haugh

Children thrive when their learning environment encourages both imagination and analysis. When they engage in open-ended play, storytelling, or hands-on building, they develop flexible thinking that helps them interpret the world around them. Innovative thinking becomes a skill they naturally practice, allowing them to move fluidly between playful exploration and structured reasoning. In this way, creativity becomes a gateway to deeper understanding, making learning more dynamic and memorable. Furthermore, when creative activities are paired with scientific concepts, children discover a richer framework for learning. They begin to recognize that questions, ideas, and experiments all stem from curiosity. This merging of imagination with logic allows them to appreciate the process of discovery rather than focusing solely on outcomes. As a result, children learn that science is not just a subject—it’s a way of thinking that grows stronger when creativity is embraced. How Creativity Nurtu...

Parents often feel pushed to choose: should a child spend more time mastering reading and math, or exploring art, play, and imagination? The truth is that child development research doesn’t frame this as a simple competition. Creativity and academics can reinforce each other when kids have the right mix of structure, freedom, support, and time. Instead of asking “Which matters more?” a better question is: “What combination helps my child learn deeply and stay motivated?” When creativity and academics are balanced, children tend to develop stronger problem-solving skills, better emotional regulation, and greater confidence in learning—benefits that carry over in school and beyond. Why This Feels Like an Either-Or Choice School systems often measure academic progress with grades and tests, while creativity is harder to quantify. That difference can make creativity feel “optional,” even when it supports the very skills schools want, like comprehension, reasoning, and persistence. When fa...