A child's block tower and an artist's masterpiece share more in common than we think—both spring from the same creative well.
When we picture creativity, we often imagine two extremes: the uninhibited child immersed in fantastical play, and the brilliant adult genius producing revolutionary work. This false dichotomy overlooks a fundamental truth about human imagination—creativity isn't a trait we possess in childhood and lose as we age, but a dynamic capacity that evolves throughout our lives. Groundbreaking research reveals that when we maintain our connection to play, we preserve our creative potential across our entire lifespan.
I recently spoke with Dr. Sandra Russ, a distinguished psychologist and creativity researcher at Case Western Reserve University, whose work has transformed our understanding of play's role in human development. "Play is a creative product," Dr. Russ explains, emphasizing that for children, play represents the natural output of their cognitive and emotional processes 1 . Her decades of research demonstrate that the pretend play of childhood isn't merely idle entertainment, but rather the essential foundation upon which lifelong creative thinking is built.
According to Dr. Russ, creativity involves "the ability to come up with original ideas; to put ideas or images or experiences together in new ways" and "synthesizing in an original way using fantasy" 1 . This definition notably focuses on novelty without insisting on immediate practical utility—a departure from standard definitions that require both novelty and usefulness.
Dr. Russ's landmark contribution to the field is the Affect in Play Scale, a meticulously designed assessment tool that measures imagination and emotional expression in children's pretend play 1 .
The connection between play and cognitive development isn't merely theoretical. Robust empirical evidence confirms that pretend play correlates strongly with divergent thinking, storytelling ability, and emotional regulation 1 .
Even more compelling, longitudinal research reveals that children's play ability scores can predict their divergent thinking capabilities years later 1 . This suggests that play isn't just a reflection of creative capacity—it actively builds and strengthens it.
The question of what makes something "creative" finds nuance in the Four-C model developed by Beghetto and Kaufman 1 . This framework expands our understanding by identifying different manifestations of creativity:
Intrapersonal creativity that is part of the learning process
Everyday creativity that makes contributions to personal or communal life
Professional-level expertise and creativity within a domain
Landmark work that changes a field or the world
Through this lens, children's pretend play clearly qualifies as mini-c creativity—the foundational level from which all other creative expression grows 1 . A child transforming a cardboard box into a spaceship engages in the same essential creative process as an engineer envisioning a new architectural design, just at different levels of sophistication and scope.
The pervasive myth that creativity inevitably declines with age doesn't hold up to scientific scrutiny. A comprehensive 2023 study published in BMC Geriatrics examined creativity across three distinct groups: young adults (18-30), cognitively healthy older adults (65+), and older adults with cognitive impairment/dementia 2 . The results challenged common assumptions—older adults without cognitive impairment performed significantly lower in only two out of eleven creativity sub-scores compared to their younger counterparts 2 .
This research suggests that creativity remains relatively stable in older age, with only specific aspects tied to abstract reasoning showing susceptibility to aging effects 2 . Even more remarkably, cognitive impairment appears to affect only certain facets of creativity, leaving others intact and potentially accessible through therapeutic interventions.
Rather than disappearing, imagination transforms throughout our lives. Harvard developmental psychologist Paul Harris argues that children's pretend play typically revolves around familiar experiences—tea parties, superheroes, and make-believe kitchens . The true shift begins around age four, when children start to imagine genuinely novel scenarios with multiple potential outcomes .
This developmental trajectory continues into adulthood, where imagination becomes more refined and practical. Research by Angela Nyhout at the University of Kent revealed that older adults often surpass younger participants in generating creative uses for historical objects, particularly within familiar domains . This suggests that accumulated life experience provides rich raw material for creative ideation.
Hypothetical representation of how different types of creativity evolve across the lifespan based on research findings.
Studies of synthetic creative abilities show a general upward trend throughout childhood, but with potential "plateaus" or temporary slowdowns, particularly during early school years 8 .
One study observed that children aged 7/8 to 9 experience a kind of slowdown or "pause" in creativity development 8 .
A sophisticated 2023 study conducted by German researchers provides unprecedented insights into how creativity manifests across different life stages 2 . The research team assembled three distinct groups: (1) 24 young participants aged 18-30; (2) 24 cognitively healthy older adults aged 65+; and (3) 23 older adults aged 65+ with cognitive impairment or dementia 2 .
The researchers employed a comprehensive battery of assessments to capture different dimensions of creative thinking:
Measures ability to engage in creative problem-solving
Assesses figural and synthetic creative abilities through drawing completion tasks
Evaluates divergent thinking by generating novel uses for common objects
The study yielded fascinating results that challenge simplistic narratives about creativity and aging. While younger participants outperformed cognitively healthy older adults in two specific creativity sub-scores, these differences were fully explained by age-related declines in abstract reasoning ability 2 . This suggests that certain aspects of creativity remain preserved throughout the lifespan, while others that depend heavily on fluid cognitive abilities may show modest declines.
Perhaps most notably, researchers found that cognitive impairment affected only some facets of creativity, with other aspects remaining comparable to cognitively healthy individuals 2 . This crucial finding indicates that creative capacities may be preserved even in the face of cognitive challenges, opening exciting possibilities for therapeutic interventions.
Dr. Russ emphasizes that play isn't just for children—adults also benefit from engaging in playful activities and mini-c creativity 1 . Playful engagement allows us to use and expand our divergent thinking abilities, encouraging us to ask "What if?" questions and explore possibilities without artificial constraints 5 .
Creative individuals typically expose themselves to a wide range of influences beyond their immediate field of expertise 5 . Reading widely across disciplines, traveling to new environments, and seeking out unfamiliar perspectives all provide fresh raw material for the creative mind to connect and synthesize.
As we age, societal expectations often shift toward practicality and productivity, potentially crowding out opportunities for creative exploration 6 . Counteracting these pressures requires consciously rejecting structures that discourage creativity and surrounding ourselves with supportive networks that encourage experimentation 6 .
Foundation of creative thinking through pretend play, exploration, and curiosity-driven learning. Development of basic divergent thinking skills.
Potential creativity plateaus due to formal schooling structures. Importance of maintaining play activities and creative outlets outside school.
Development of more sophisticated creative skills and domain-specific interests. Peer influence becomes significant in creative expression.
Peak fluid creativity in some domains. Professional and personal responsibilities may limit creative exploration without conscious effort.
Crystallized creativity peaks as experience provides rich material for novel connections. Potential for creative renaissance with accumulated expertise.
Preservation of core creative capacities despite some cognitive changes. Opportunity for meaningful creative expression and legacy building.
The scientific evidence overwhelmingly confirms that creativity isn't the sole province of the young, but rather a dynamic capacity that evolves across our entire lifespan 1 2 5 . From the mini-c creativity of childhood play to the specialized expertise of professional creators and the meaningful personal expressions of later years, our imaginative potential manifests in different forms at different stages of development.
The key to maintaining creative vitality lies in preserving our connection to play—that open-ended, exploratory stance toward the world that comes so naturally to children but requires conscious cultivation as adults 1 5 . By embracing diverse experiences, allowing space for mind-wandering, and resisting societal pressures to abandon playful engagement, we can continue to reap the cognitive and emotional benefits of creative expression throughout our lives.
As Dr. Russ's work demonstrates, play represents both the foundation and the ongoing practice of creativity 1 . Whether we're children building with blocks or adults solving complex professional challenges, we're engaging in the same fundamental process of generating novel ideas and synthesizing experiences in original ways. By honoring this continuum of creative expression, we acknowledge that creativity isn't a developmental phase we outgrow, but rather a lifelong companion that enriches every stage of our journey.