The trajectories of creativity development in childhood

How does children's creativity change? Although this is a central question to the developmental studies of creativity, longitudinal investigations that follow the changes in various aspects of children's creative abilities are scarce. This study longitudinally examines the trajectories of the development of synthetic creative abilities in preschool (N = 194) and early school-age (N = 236) children. We also analyzed if this development was associated with changes in divergent thinking. Children solved the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production (TCT-DP), a measure of synthetic creative abilities, either four (preschool children) or six times (primary school students), with sessions six months apart and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) (three times). Latent growth curve models demonstrated the increasing trend in synthetic creative abilities, yet there was also substantial variability in the rate and pattern of changes among participants. Latent mixture models revealed three trajectories of changes in synthetic creative abilities: (1) low-beginning-moderate-growth trajectory, whose synthetic creative abilities started low yet increased in time; (2) medium-start-intensive-growth trajectory, whose synthetic creative abilities increased substantially, and (3) stable-high trajectory, who scored high in synthetic creative abilities in the first wave and kept stable afterward. These trajectories tended to differ in their initial divergent thinking and the patterns of changes in fluency, flexibility, and originality. We discuss these differences in light of potential idiosyncrasies in creativity development and the possibility of integrating person-centered and dynamic approaches in the creativity literature.

Educational relevance statement

This research provides vital insights into the developmental trajectories of children's creative abilities in middle childhood. It reveals that children's creativity, especially their synthetic creative abilities, tends to increase as they grow older. Educators and curriculum developers can benefit from understanding these trajectories, as they highlight the significance of fostering creativity from a young age and adapting teaching methods according to individual variability. The differences between synthetic creative abilities and divergent thinking also suggest a need for tailored approaches in creativity-focused educational programs.