How to Revive Your Imagination (+ Why Reading to Children is Important)

What happened to our imaginations? Do you remember when you were a kid and it seemed to flow like it was a sixth sense? Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” That’s a powerful statement coming from one of the most knowledgeable people in the world.

What’s interesting is your imagination never really left you. You just need to tap into it.

Tune Into Your Inner Child

The next time you are at a playground or school event, try to study the way they talk and laugh with each other. Notice the games that they play, and how easy it is for them to jump in and out of different roles and characters. They play make believe so easily, it is second nature for them to bring theri imaginations to life. See if you can find ways to let your own imagination create worlds and stories in your own mind and visions.

Bring Your Imagination Alive with Brainstorming & Mind-Mapping

Brainstorming and mind mapping can take practice if you are not accustomed to it. But once you get into the flow of it, it becomes second nature. It is best to use a notebook for this specific purpose, and a pen or pencil that you can write with easily. Once the thoughts start pouring, they come quickly. Please see my post on how to bring your visions alive with mind mapping.

Move Your Thoughts Outside of Your Comfort Zone

Imagination is all about pushing yourself to your edges. Where do your edges lie? Can you identify where you have placed limits and boundaries upon yourself that don’t need to be there? Do they serve a purpose, and if so, what? Perhaps it is time to let go of the constraints you have placed upon yourself, and take a deep dive into your dreams and visions. Trying seeing things through a different lens, and viewing your life and creations from fresh angles.

Identify Your Personal Gifts to Boost Your Imagination

What did you love to do as a child that made you feel powerful and invincible? What most filled you with joy and wonder? If you can identify these, are you aware of whether or not you still engage in these activities? Many people speak of how they found their imaginative spark once they revived their childhood passions. We tend to let these go once we grow up, and forget about them. Remember, you have every right to continue doing all of the things you love.

Get Hold of Some Imagination-Inspiring Fantasy Books

There are so many fantasy books suitable for adults. It is unlikely that you are unfamiliar with Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, or The Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you’ve only ever watched the movies, try reading the books. The images that are created in your mind’s eye will be magical and satisfying.

Reading to children is a fabulous way to spark your imagination! Seeing the wonder in the faces of children (and the sparkle in their eyes as they are being read to) can have an incredible effect on your own sense of wonder.

Reading to Children Keeps Their Imagination — And Yours — Alive

We all want our children to keep their senses of wonder, don’t we? Stories are filled with wonder. Think of such classics as the Chronicles of Narnia, the Harry Potter series, and a favorite series of my own children — the Warriors series. In this age of internet and technology, finding and making the time to sit down with a good book is a rare gift. This is why it is all the more important to carve out the time to make it happen.

Reading helps a child develop numerous basic literacy skills, which leads on to extending their vocabulary. The more a child reads, the quicker their vocabulary expands. They learn how to use their words and are encouraged to sound them out for themselves. This helps one to become independent in both communication and creativity.

When you become comfortable with learning and understanding new things, your power of imagination is enforced. If you read a lot as a child, then you will know what a gift reading is to the imagination. It keeps your mind vivid and refreshed. And if you still read books today, then you also know that you are keeping your imaginative gifts alive!

Starting a child with reading early is a gift to them as well. Taking the time to read to your child is something you will both remember forever. If you keep with it, hopefully your child will continue the tradition of reading on their own, and dive into a good book when the mood strikes them!

Let your child lead the way. You want to start slowly, and listen to what they have to say about the books and topics that interest them most. This will give them the skills to trust their own instincts over time, which is something that we tend to have worked out of us by the time we are adults.

It is for this reason that so many adults find themselves trying to reclaim their creativity and intuition. We are led to believe that our creative minds don’t hold the same power or sway over a ‘good life’ as our analytical minds do.

So when you are looking for ways to come back to your creativity and imagination, go back to some books. Teach your children the beauty of reading and diving into fictional, magical worlds. If they ever find themselves lost in the fast pace of our world, losing their inner spark, they will have this to come back to.

You can use reading as an opportunity to teach co-creativity and teamwork as well. This can be done by taking turns when it is reading time. You read a page, and your child reads a page. This may become a routine or ritual for you … and a way of connecting one on one with your child.

The aim of this is to get to a point where your child wants to read, and that will never happen if they feel forced. We went through quite a time with our children, with the assigned nightly reading program. All of my children put up quite the fuss about being told to read at home every night and bring back a signed reading log. However, when I allowed them to choose the times that they wanted to enjoy a book, it all went very smoothly.

If they put up a fuss, try using their reading time as your own! They will see you enjoying your book and this will spark them. Or have a reading time together, where you sit side by side with your own books. Children love imitating their parents!

Now, back to how you can spark your imagination with reading…

Read Items Outside Your Typical Categories

If you tend to only read the newspaper, try something different — like a fiction novel. The idea is to get your mind working in a different way than it does normally. You can release patterns of thought by reading something new to you. Spend time at the library browsing, and see what catches your eye. The more new things you try, the easier it is over time to try more new things.

Practice Drawing & Writing with Your Non-Dominant Hand

Performing daily tasks with your dominant hand is automatic — it doesn’t take much thought to perform the actions. But when you take the time to use your non-dominant hand, you need to slow down and really focus. You have no choice but to be completely present with what you are doing.

Observe your thoughts while you do this, and take note of what you are thinking and feeling. This is an incredible experience of learning and self-discovery! And it is a surefire way to spark your mind in new and different ways.

• Find a set of writing prompts. Writing prompts are a great way to stir the imagination. Essentially, these are one or two sentences that convey some concept. You take the concept and expand it with a story or idea.
• Read several children’s books or watch children’s television shows and movies. Kids still have their imagination so it won’t be too much of a stretch that programs catering to them will be imaginative.
• Join an improvisation or theater group, or a creative movement class. Developing your acting skill will certainly increase your imagination. These activities are perfect for getting the mind and body working in new ways.
• Try Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. This is an excellent compilation of material to get you started, with some guidance along the way.

Here are some book suggestions for you:

Imagination First: Unlocking the Power of Possibility The Imagination Challenge: Strategic Foresight and Innovation in the Global Economy Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life Applied Imagination: Principles and Procedures of Creative Problem-Solving The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles