The short and sweet answer is yes, creativity changes with age. As a kid, creativity shows itself in acts of make-believe and imaginative play. As an adult, your desire to, say, pretend you’re a lion for an afternoon significantly decreases. But that doesn’t mean creativity goes away altogether. It does mean, however, that you’ll need to make time to exercise your creative muscles. You might be surprised that your capacity for playing make-believe games is still very much intact.
Creativity is not just about having fun and letting your mind run wild, though. In fact, regularly exercising creativity helps reduce stress, anxiety and more. Whether you’re spending an afternoon daydreaming or learning to knit, creativity is as important at five years old as it is at 65. So yes, creativity changes with age, but it doesn’t mean your capacity for creativity has gone away.
Studies show that your ability to find creative answers to problems decreases as you age. Older adults are far more likely to go with the easy and obvious answer when presented with a problem-solving question. This happens for a number of reasons. For starters, you’re armed with more real-life knowledge and experience, allowing you to draw quick and reasonable conclusions. Getting caught up in your daily habits and making less time for creative hobbies is another contributing factor. But all is not lost. Age itself does not necessarily affect your ability to be creative. Think of creativity as a muscle — the more you work it, the stronger it'll be.
There are a number of reasons to express your creativity, but a huge reason is its effect on your health and well-being. Studies show that creativity is linked to reducing stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Additionally, creativity can provide an instant mood boost and may even help support your immune system health.
Different types of creative activities have different positive impacts. For example, regular journaling helps with memory retention, while hobbies such as knitting can improve fine motor skills and reduce symptoms of anxiety. No matter which way you choose to ignite your imagination, know that it will have nothing but positive effects on your health and general mood.
You know the importance of keeping up with creativity, but how do you manage to fit creative activities into your daily life? At Autumn View Gardens, carving out time for creative activities is a top priority. Whether through resident cooking classes or cultural outings to museums and other local sights, your creative muscles will have the chance to work out daily. Here are a few ideas for how you can personally ensure your creativity is shining.
Being creative is fun, but that doesn’t mean you need to express your creativity in the same way every day. If you’re looking for new ideas, here are a few creative activities and crafts you can add to your wheelhouse.
There are endless ways for you to express and strengthen your creativity as you age. Whether you prefer solo crafts or getting to know your neighbors in an interactive class, there’s a creative activity for everyone. Although how you express creativity may change, older adults are no less creative than young children. So don’t let the year on your birth certificate limit how you choose to be creative. Creativity is good for the mind, the body and the soul — and it can be practiced at any age.
