Promoting creativity in early childhood education

activities should be conducted starting from simple to difficult ones, and from the known to the unknown (T23). • The Opinions of Preschool Teacher Candidates on the Third Theme The strategies of preschool teacher candidates on developing creativity and creative think- ing in preschool children are presented below: When Table 8 is studied, it is observed that the strategies most suggested by preschool teacher candidates for promoting creativity and creative thinking in the preschool stage are taking children on trips, conducting art activities, carrying out drama activities, making Turk- ish language activities, conducting maths and science activities, and focusing on activities chil- dren have at home with their families. The least mentioned suggestions are not interfering when children are conducting activities, carrying out comprehensive activities with divergent questions, and motivating students to different areas of interest. Evaluation of the subthemes of the third theme Giving prominence to activities children conduct with their families attracts a lot of attention among the strategies teacher candidates have suggested for developing creativity. Another major suggestion of teacher candidates is that supporting children with different activities may enable them to think in different ways. Teacher candidates have suggested that motivating children to ask questions, and using techniques that promote creativity such as completing sto- ries may enable children to ask different questions and enhance their creativity. Examples for

the statements of teacher candidates are presented below: • Games to develop the creative sides of children may be designed by using kitchen tools in the home, or parents may make cookies of different shapes with the children (TC5). • Activities that are mostly based on the choices of children should be conducted. Families should read story books at home with the children, and later ask child to narrate the rest of the story, or ask them to change the ending of the story. Parents may make drawings with the children or may build towers with toys (TC13). Table 8. The strategies of preschool teacher candidates on developing creativity and creative thinking in preschool children. Theme 3: Strategies for Developing Creativity Subthemes Organising trips Art facilities Drama activities Turkish language activities Maths and science activities Hands-on learning Activities to promote discovery Offering an environment of freedom Divergent questions Using objects in different ways Supporting areas of interest Motivating students to ask questions Parent- school cooperation https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294915.t008 PLOS ONE Creativity in early childhood PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294915 December 6, 2023 15 / 21