The Importance of Creative Play During School Year

 

Balancing Creativity and Academics – Why It’s Important to Keep Creative Play Alive During the School Year

Every September, as school supplies are neatly packed and schedules begin to fill with homework and activities, I find myself reflecting on how quickly the balance tips toward academics. Tests, assignments, and projects seem to take over, and sometimes creativity is pushed aside in favor of productivity. However, I’ve learned over the years, especially as a mom, that creativity is not a luxury—it is a necessity for my children’s growth and happiness.

🌟 Creativity and Academics Go Hand in Hand

At first glance, it might seem that schoolwork and creative play are separate worlds. On one hand, academics focus on discipline, knowledge, and structure. On the other hand, creativity feels free, playful, and unstructured. Yet, the truth is that both are deeply connected, and one actually strengthens the other.

For instance, when children draw, play music, or invent stories, they are not just having fun. They are also building problem-solving skills, improving focus, and expressing emotions. Moreover, creativity provides them with a sense of freedom that academics sometimes cannot. Therefore, instead of viewing creativity as a distraction, we should embrace it as a powerful ally to learning.

🧠 Why Creativity Matters During the School Year

1. Creativity Boosts Problem-Solving Skills
   Academic work often requires logical thinking, but creative play allows children to approach challenges from new angles. For example, a child who builds a unique Lego structure is exercising the same kind of flexible thinking needed to solve a tricky math equation. In addition, creative play teaches resilience—if one idea fails, they try another until it works.

2. It Supports Emotional Well-Being
   The school environment can sometimes be overwhelming, and children may feel pressure to perform. However, creativity provides a safe space to express emotions freely. Whether through painting, music, or crafting, kids release stress, which, in turn, helps them return to academics with a clearer mind.

3. It Improves Focus and Memory
   Research shows that engaging in creative activities strengthens memory retention and improves concentration. For example, when kids sing a song about the solar system, they are more likely to remember the planets. Moreover, creative activities stimulate different parts of the brain, which enhances learning overall.

4. Creativity Builds Confidence
   Whenever a child finishes a painting or performs a song, they feel proud of their achievement. As a result, this self-confidence spills over into their academic life. They become more willing to raise their hand in class, tackle new problems, and persevere, even if success doesn’t come immediately.

🎨 Practical Ways to Keep Creativity Alive During Busy School Days

Balancing creativity and academics does not mean sacrificing one for the other. In fact, with small adjustments, families can encourage both simultaneously.

• Creative Homework Breaks: Instead of long stretches of study time, allow short, playful breaks. For example, after finishing a math worksheet, your child might enjoy doodling or playing a quick tune on an instrument. These breaks refresh the brain and actually make homework time more effective.

• Weekend Family Projects: Dedicate part of the weekend to creativity. This could be as simple as cooking a new recipe together, trying a seasonal craft, or telling stories before bed. Moreover, these activities strengthen family bonds.

• Blending Art with Academics: Encourage your child to visualize their schoolwork. For instance, let them draw a science diagram, make up a song about spelling words, or design a colorful timeline for history lessons. As a result, studying feels more engaging and memorable.

• Encouraging Passion Projects: Beyond school assignments, children need space to follow their interests. Whether they want to learn guitar, practice dance, or build something from scratch, giving them time to explore passions keeps their inner spark alive.

💖 A Mother’s Reflection

As a mom, I’ve seen this balance firsthand. My daughters are both creative—one plays the violin and drums, while the other loves crafting and experimenting in the kitchen. There are evenings when homework piles up and I am tempted to say, “No time for music today.” However, every time I let them keep that creative moment alive, I notice something: they return to their studies calmer, happier, and more focused. Moreover, their creativity often spills into their schoolwork, turning assignments into unique, thoughtful projects.

🌈 The Bigger Picture

Ultimately, balancing creativity and academics is not about choosing one over the other—it’s about recognizing that both are essential. Academics give children knowledge, while creativity teaches them how to apply it in meaningful ways. Furthermore, creativity fuels curiosity, resilience, and imagination—the very qualities that help kids succeed not only in school but in life.

So, as we step into another busy school year, let’s make a conscious effort. Pack the lunchboxes, check the homework, and review the lessons, yes. But also, make space for paintbrushes, instruments, stories, and laughter. Because in the end, a truly well-rounded education is one that nurtures both the head and the heart.

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10 Healthy After School Snacks

In order to help you, How to Be Super Mom surfed the web to hunt the best after school snacks' recipes. Enjoy!

1- Cranberry Oat Cereal Bars

~Martha Stewart

Oatmeal, a whole grain offering both insoluble and soluble fiber, is also a source of protein. The protein found in oatmeal is of a higher quality that that found in most other grains.
Lean protein is essential in every meal to reinforce your immunity system.
Check out the recipe.

2- Peanut Butter Granola Balls

~Martha Stewart

Peanut-butter and oat are considered two of the top sources of lean protein. Our body needs these protein at every meal to avoid common colds and flus. 

Check out the recipe.

3- Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

~Martha Stewart

These sweet crunchy treats, made with whole-wheat and oatmeal, make a perfect healthy snack for our loved ones.

Get the recipe.

4- Frozen Fruits Salad

~Martha Stewart

Fruits are the best source for nutrients. Try this recipe to give the regular fruit salad a fun, new snap.

Get the recipe.

5-Deviled Eggs

~Martha Stewart

This recipe makes a fantastic protein-rich snack.

Get the recipe.

6- Mini Sandwiches

Martha Stewart

These fun creative mini-sandwiches make a great healthy snack for your children. Try to use multi-cereal bread instead of white.

Get the recipe.

7- Banana Yogurt Smoothie

Martha Stewart

One banana ( app. 100gcontains) contains 21.5%DV Vitamin B6, 17.1% DV Vitamin C, 16% DV Manganese, 12.2% DV Fiber and 12% DV Potassium.

Yogurt has a lot of benefits, it contains probiotics, will help you prevent osteoporosis, may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, may reduce vaginal infection. If you like you might check the yogurt many benefits here.
Get the recipe.

8- Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Sauce

Chicken meat is considered a good source of lean protein. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends all adults to get 5.5 oz of lean protein every day as part of a balanced diet. It is also considered one of the foods that will help you boost your immunity system. Lean protein is found in white meat, nuts, quinoa and beans.
Get the recipe.

9- Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These are more delicious than regular fries and much healthier.
Get the recipe.










10- Healthy Oatmeal Snack Cakes

Oat is one of the main sources of lean protein. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends all adults to get 5.5 oz of lean protein every day as part of a balanced diet. It is also considered one of the foods that will help you boost your immunity system. Lean protein is found in white meat, nuts, oat and quinoa.
Get the recipe.

How To Be Super Mom

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Back To School: Cool Sandwiches and Wrappers

Help your child enjoy school by making him snacks that he will look forward to. 

Decorate the sandwiches by using multi-cereal and white bread. All you need is cookie cutters and a creamy filling such as cream cheese, jam, labneh, peanut butter or anything bread could stick on.

Using the same butterfly cutter, I cut 2 butterflies, a multi-cereal and a white one, and I switched their places to get this cool sandwich. This could be a pleasant way to prepare your kids' lunch!

Now to wrap them, I advise you to get either paper napkins or linen napkins with cool patterns. 

Follow these steps:

See how beautiful your children's school snack will be, I bet that he will be happy to show off his lunch to his friends.
Remember that I am always around to help you so leave me a comment or post on my facebook page.

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Googly Handmade Name Tag

 What is more fun than this name tag with googly eyes? Enjoy this month, by preparing handmade name tags with your child.

Supplied Needed

1 red canson paper

1 purple canson paper

1 white canson paper

2 googly eyes

1 red crayon

White pen

glue

Directions

Cut one 8*5 cm purple rectangle and one 4*4 cm red square.

Cut a 4*7 white rectangle and then cut it diagonally like the white piece in the picture.

Glue the white piece on the purple rectangle.

Than the red square just like shown in the first picture.

Write your kid's information on the red square piece.

Glue the googly eyes on the white piece and draw a smiley red mouth.

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Black Board Name Tag

 

 

Handmade Name Tag: Black Board

Get your kids to prepare their own name tags for school, this will make a great initiative for them. A truly easy project, and you can from this simple idea make many other name tags that are even more beautiful and more creative than the one I made for you.

Supplies Needed:

Black construction paper

Red construction paper

White pen

1 small coloring pencil

2 small crayons

glue

Laminating film

Directions

Cut a 6*8 cm rectangle from the black construction paper.

Cut a 6*8 cm red rectangle and empty the inside by cutting a 4*7 cm rectangle.

Glue the red rectangle over the black to make the frame.

Using the white pen, write on your black board.

Write your child's name and grade.

Wrap the name tag with laminating film.

Decorate it with the small coloring pencil and crayons.

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5 Things To Teach Your Child About Riding The Bus

When the time comes for your little one to begin attending school, it can be heart-wrenching to watch his tiny little form clamber up the steps of the massive school bus, knowing that he’s growing up no matter how much you may not want him to. Even though you can’t stop him from getting older, you can help him prepare for this transitional age in his life, starting with what to expect when riding the school bus. There are a wide variety of things that your little scholar should know before he takes his first school bus ride, but these five are among the most important.

1. What to Do if the Bus Is Late – While the system governing school transportation is usually an efficient and effective one, it’s important for parents and kids to understand that the system is run by human beings, who are not infallible. Buses can be late, delayed by inclement weather or other situations out of the drivers’ control. A late bus can cause children who are eagerly waiting to return home from school to panic. To prepare your children for this situation, be sure that they know what they should do and who they should contact to notify them of the situation.  Instill in them the notion that the most important thing to do is follow the instructions of their teachers and school administrators until the bus arrives. Almost all schools will have a contingency plan in place for just such an event, but your child needs to know that he will be taken care of and that the event, while new and scary to him, is one that the school staff is trained to handle.
2. Pay Attention At All Stops – Very few experiences that your child has on the bus are as disconcerting as realizing that their stop has been passed and that they’re now in unfamiliar territory. While many drivers will keep in mind that a very young, inexperienced rider could be distracted by socializing and the novelty of riding a school bus, most will only wait so long to see if a child is present for their stop before heading to the next. Sleeping children are particularly difficult for a driver to see, so your child should be taught the importance of paying attention, staying awake, and getting off at the right stop.
3. How to Follow the Rules – Though some rules can seem unnecessarily strict to young children, your child should understand that those rules are in place to protect him and ensure his safety, as well as the safety of others. Shouting, standing up, roughhousing, or otherwise misbehaving can cause him to be subjected to disciplinary action up to and including suspension of bus privileges. Your child’s school will inform you about the rules governing bus behavior and will usually include a dedicated section in the school handbook. Taking the time to go over these rules and ensuring that your child is well-versed in what is and is not allowed when riding the bus can help him avoid any disciplinary problems and ensure a safe riding experience.
4. General School Bus Safety – Kids should know general bus safety guidelines before their first bus trip to ensure that they don’t inadvertently engage in unsafe behavior. It’s important to teach your child that he should always step away from the curb as the bus is approaching, and should only walk towards it after the bus has come to a complete stop. He should also know that he should never stoop to pick up objects that have fallen under the bus, and that he should only cross the street in front of the bus and at a distance of at least ten feet to ensure that the driver can see him. The small stature and quick movements of younger children make it difficult for drivers to spot them, and also makes it harder for a child to spot oncoming vehicles and other obstacles.
5. The Dangers of Bullying – Bullying is a very serious problem, and it’s one that often occurs in the raucous environment of the school bus. Because bus drivers can have difficulty hearing everything that’s being said to an individual child over the collective din of many little voices, you simply cannot rely on the bus driver’s ability to detect and prevent bullying. Your child should understand the dangers of being a bully themselves, and know what to do if they’re the victim of bullying from other children on the bus. Letting him know that he can always tell an adult about any problems that he’s having or difficulties he’s forced to endure on the school bus is very important, because he may feel as if he has nowhere to turn if he becomes a target of school bus bullies.

To get children prepared for their first trip on the school bus, role play various scenarios and talk about what to expect from the trip. Be sure to include everything from boarding the bus, to paying attention at each stop, to exiting the bus safely, and everything that could happen in between.

Thank you Molly Cunningham for sharing.

http://www.liveinnanny.com/blog/5-things-to-teach-your-child-about-riding-the-bus/

Back To School Shopping List

Enclosed you will find the finest and most original school supplies. I bought my daughter a number of these beautiful products and I advice to shop online and choose from these high quality products instead of running around in your car between supply stores to finish your school shopping.

3-In-1 Pencil Sharpener 3-in-1 pencil sharpener Now you can have one sharpener for all your pencils 3-in-1 sharpener can accomodate pencils with diameters 5/16 in., 3/8 in., and 7/16 in. Shaving collectors can be removed and emptied. Clever design snaps together into one compact, portable package.

Eco biodegradable pencil-sharpener pencil sharpener These eco sharpeners are made of a milled magnesium alloy. Magnesium oxidizes and degenerates, because it is a common and natural mineral. These Eco sharpeners are very environmentally sound, and feature a 2-hole sharpener, waste container, and a lid with a pencil hole cover.

Receptacle Pencil Sharpener pencil sharpener Brightly colored clear plastic pencil sharpener holds shavings in the easy to remove receptacle. Replaceable blade. Excellent for school, home, or office. Assorted colors.

Colorations Primary Pencils With Eraser Better quality than name brand competitors for a portion of the cost! Made of finest renewable linden wood and No. 2 grade graphite. Perfect for both sketching and writing. Jumbo primary pencils are 5/16Dia. Choose a set of 12 or set of 144.

Colorations #2 Pencils Better quality than name brand competitors for a portion of the cost! Made of finest renewable linden wood and No. 2 grade graphite. Perfect for both sketching and writing. Regular size No. 2 pencil is 7 1/2L x 1/4Dia. with eraser. Choose a set of 12 or set of 144.

Colorations Primary Pencils Without Eraser Better quality than name brand competitors for a portion of the cost! Made of finest renewable linden wood and No. 2 grade graphite. Perfect for both sketching and writing. Jumbo primary pencils without eraser 6 7/8L. Choose a set of 12 or set of 144.

Colorations Regular Colored Pencils - Set of 24 Colorations pencils are rich vibrant and smooth. Select from 4 sizes and classroom friendly packs. Regular and jumbo pencils are sold in sets of two 12-packs and classroom packs of regular 240 (12 each of 12 listed colors) and jumbo 120 (10 each of 12 listed colors) colors include: black blue brown burgundy green light blue light green orange pink red yellow and violet. 48 Stubby Chubby Colored pencils include 6 each of 12 colors listed above. 100 Short Stuff pencils include 10 each of 10 popular colors: black brown dark green green navy orange pink red turquoise and yellow.

Magic Rub Eraser Non-abrasive non-smudging eraser for your classroom needs.

Pink Carnation Eraser Erases pencil without smearing or staining. Easily cleans smudge marks. It's even safe to use with fine writing paper.

Renown Stain & Mark Eraser The easiest way to eliminate stains on walls appliances and work surfaces including crayon and markers. Chemical free - no additional chemicals needed - requires only water.

Colorations Washable School Glue - 4 oz Our special brand of white school glue adheres to paper wood fabric and other porous and semi-porous surfaces. It is completely non-toxic and easily washes off skin most clothing and other surfaces with soap and water.

Small Colorations Washable Glue Sticks in a Tray .32 oz. Each - Set of 12 Dare to compare! Our glue sticks are bigger giving you more for your money! Colorations clear-drying washable glue sticks are smooth and easy to apply go on purple and give you great adhesion. No clumping or mess! Small (.32 oz) and large (.88 oz) glue sticks are available in dozens which include a storage tray. Non-toxic.

Best Value Washable Glue Pen Our Best Value clear glue-in-a-tube has a plastic fabric applicator for smooth and even application. Washable with warm water and is non-toxic. 1.69 ounces.

Small Elmer's Glue Stick .21 oz. - 1 Stick Smooth application with Elmer's quality. Goes on blue to see where it's been put but dries clear! Non-toxic. Small .21oz size.

Colorations Washable Clear Glue Our clear glue contains non-toxic polyvinyl alcohol no coloring additives or acetic odor. Works with most porous and semi-porous materials. Washable biodegradable and 100% safe and non-toxic. Ideal with Colorations Liquid Watercolor for transparent colored glue that dries glossy and flexible.

Colorations Regular Crayons - Set of 8 These beautiful bright crayons offer exceptional quality for such an incredibly low price. Set includes the classic colors: black blue brown green orange red violet and yellow. 3 1/2L x 1/4Dia.

Colorations Regular Crayons - Set of 16 These beautiful bright crayons offer exceptional quality for such an incredibly low price. 16 color set includes 8 classic colors: black blue brown green orange red violet and yellow plus 8 additional colors: blue green blue violet pink red orange red violet yellow green yellow orange and white. 3 1/2L x 1/4Dia.

Crayola Multicultural Crayons - Set of 8 Multicultural Regular Crayons - Set of 8 regular 3 5/8L x 5/16Dia. Colors with universal appeal! Shades of all the world's cultures. Beautiful!

Crayola Triangular Anti-Roll Crayons Strong large crayons are triangular shaped to promote a proper writing grip.

Crayola Dry-Erase Crayons - Bright Colors No odor no caps and they won't dry out! Unique crayons wipe off dry-erase surfaces easily and are washable from skin and clothes.

Kindergarten Readiness Kit Our comprehensive kit includes everything needed to help a preschool graduate make a successful transition to kindergarten. Top-quality supplies will help families and caregivers assist the child in developing language literacy science and mathematics skills as well as increasing science social emotional art and physical health proficiency. The skills align with most preschool and kindergarten educational guidelines and are organized in developmental order. Full-color activity pages (in English and Spanish) are packed with engaging activities developed by teachers who have years of experience with preschool and kindergarten children. Each sturdy backpack is designed for one typically developing 4-5 year old child.

Yellow Spiral Notebook - 70 Sheets Notebook is wide ruled and measures 10-1/2L x 8W.

Wooden Rulers - Set of 12 Introduce basic measuring in inches and metrics (cm/mm) with our solid wood rulers.

Lightweight Construction Paper 9 x 12 - 500 Sheets This paper is thinner than standard construction paper making it easier to fold for dry media projects. Enhanced with sulphite fibers for color brightness and strength. Made from 90% recycled materials. 500 sheet package of 9 x 12 sheets in 10 assorted colors. Assorted package only.

Sunworks Heavyweight Construction Paper Smart Stack All-purpose Pacon Sunworks heavyweight construction paper in a 300 count mega-pack of 9L x 12W sheets. Extra sheets of most popular colors.

Crayola Multicultural Washable Markers - Set of 8 Teach diversity with help from Crayola markers! Individual pack of 8 includes the following colors: tan mahogany tawny golden beige terra cotta beige bronze and sienna. Conical tip markers stores easily in their own box. Markers are made using recycled plastic. Washable AP certified. 5-5/16L x 5/8Dia.

Colorations Super Washable Classic Markers - Set of 16 Create thick broad strokes or fine strokes with our Super Washable Classic Chubby or Mega Tipped Markers. Non-toxic.

Colorations Super Washable Chubby Markers - Set of 8 Holds 4.2 grams of SUPER washable ink. Sturdy nylon conical tip is pointed for making both fine lines and filling large coloring spaces.

Crayola Classic Colors Washable Markers - Set of 8 Includes 8 brilliant classic colors: black blue brown green orange red violet and yellow. Washable. Markers are made using recycled plastic. 5-3/8L x 5/8Dia.

1 Blue Binder Durable vinyl hardback ring binder will keep school papers organized. 11-1/2L x 10W.

I hope you found this list of school supplies helpful. I wish you and your kids an amazing 2012-2013 school year.