If You Could Only Imagine: 3 Ways Being an Only Child Sparks Creativity

Growing up as an only child forced me to use a lot of imagination... I had to imagine make-believe characters when playing "house" with my baby dolls and I had to pretend that the tent I made out of couch cushions, blankets and chairs was a castle. I got pretty bored playing by myself so imagination was one of the only things that kept me entertained when I was younger. As I grew up, I began to realize what role this use of imagination played in my creativity and why you should hold onto it even as an adult. Here are three ways using my imagination as an only child taught me how to be creative and how you can spark that creativity too.


1. Become an observer. The boredom that resulted from being the only child in my family caused me to do a lot of people watching. I didn't have constant distractions from other children in the house so I was usually pretty aware of my surroundings. I would sit on my front porch and curiously watch the neighbors as they came home, carried groceries into their house and let their dogs outside to run around. When I went to the store with my mom I would have nothing to do by myself while she shopped so I would pay close attention to what was going on around me and observe other families as they shopped. Being observant allows you to hold onto that open-minded wonder and always be aware of life's many possibilities.

2. Write down your ideas. One perk of being an only child is that I never had other kids in the house constantly bothering me. I had a lot of free time to do whatever I wanted with little distractions, so I spent some of my time writing stories and reading them to my mom. I also liked to make up my own songs and sing them in the shower. Whether you like to escape reality by watching movies or reading books or like to daydream about being on a tropical island, imagination gives you a break from the real world and allows your creative juices to flow. Whatever ideas or stories you have lingering in your head, write them down so you don't forget. Who knows, maybe you'll actually produce a movie from them one day.

3. Ask Questions. Like I've mentioned in some of my previous posts, growing up as an only child, I didn't have any older siblings to teach me the ways of the world. So, whenever I wanted to know something like, "Is the moon really made out of cheese?" Or, "Why can't I see my own eyeballs?" I had to come straight out ask my parents. These are obviously just a few of the ridiculous questions that I had when I was younger, but this concept still applies to my life as a 21 year old. Don't be afraid to ask questions no matter how crazy they might sound. Staying curious and asking questions helps you hold onto your child-like imagination and turns you into a more creative person.

Moral of the story: You don't have to be an only child, or even a young kid at all, to use your imagination. Everyone has ideas and a story to tell. Start being more observant, writing down your ideas and asking questions no matter how stupid you think you might sound. Find that little spark of creativity within you and ignite it using these three lessons I learned growing up as an only child.