Do you want to raise a creative child? One who can come up with amazing ideas, amuse himself, solve problems and enjoy the magical side of childhood? Thought so. Problem is, today it seems like every toy and every children’s program focuses on education, not creativity.

But you can still foster the creative spark. Start by tweaking your attitude: while rules and statements such as, "No, no, the sky should be blue," can halt creative thinking, being open and non-judgmental encourages it.

And don’t be concerned that focusing on creativity will leave education behind. In fact, creative children are often better learners. "Creativity lets children develop their skills in a way that works for them," says Karen Halpern, a speech pathologist and creator of Thumbprint Adventures, a creative play-based program in Toronto. Her own six-year-old, for instance, can do basic multiplication: she figured it out on her own through playing.

Whether your goal is to raise the next Einstein, or just have a youngster who can tolerate long rainy days, here are five ways to light the creative fire under your child.