Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Curriculum and technology stifling children’s creativity – new study
New research released today sees almost 60% of parents say that the school curriculum has reduced opportunities for creative learning
Almost 60% of parents of children aged 5-11 believe that their children’s creativity is being stifled due to the current school curriculum, while the majority also believe that modern technology and computer games are having a big impact, according to new research released today.
Interestingly, more than 90% of parents believe creativity lessons should be added to the curriculum, with 80% saying it’s vital that a child’s imagination is allowed to run free.
More than half of parents believe they were more creative as children than their children are now, with many also blaming the rise of computers as a particular problem.
Three quarters worry that modern computer games don’t allow creative freedom in children, however, the same number also believe that modern technology can provide a vehicle for creativity.
Education entrepreneur Joshua Davidson agrees which is why he created Night Zookeeper, which gets children to express themselves through writing, art, drama and creative technology on a daily basis.
Night Zookeeper is an educational game that inspires children to create their own animal characters to live in a magical world. The online world is full of drawing, writing and creativity games for kids, and it also allows them to interact safely with other children online. It provides kids with plain pieces of paper rather than a series of preset choices.
The programme is integrated with the new National Curriculum, but enables students and teachers to have the freedom to explore possibilities outside of their usual school timetable and routine. It is currently being used in 2,000 schools around the UK and also in 126 different countries around the world.
So is creative technology the future of teaching and learning?