Evidence
Creativity often fades in school, and it can come back
FactResearcher Kyung Hee Kim studied nearly 300,000 creativity tests taken in the US from 1968 to 2008.
FactScores rose for years, then began falling around 1990. The steepest drop was among children from kindergarten to third grade.
InterpretationTest scores are not the whole person, and the study does not prove school alone is the cause. But it is a fair warning: curiosity needs room to play.
Ask whyWhat did you love making or exploring before grades and comparison took over?
What we know
Creativity test scores in the US declined after 1990 in Kim's large sample.What we don't know
The exact causes: screens, less free play, testing pressure and family life may all play a part.What it means for me: three seeds
- Spend 20 minutes this week making something with your hands.
- List five things you loved at age ten; circle the ones still in your life.
- Give a child an hour of free play with no screen and no goal.