Abstract

In the context of current educational reform, fostering creativity in young children is increasingly regarded as an essential task, laying the foundation for their holistic development in the future. Creative activities— particularly free-style clay modeling—offer children opportunities to express personal ideas, explore the surrounding world, and strengthen independent thinking skills. However, in practice, clay-modeling activities in many preschools remain overly structured, limiting children’s imagination and creative expression. This article analyzes the current situation and proposes measures to enhance creativity in 5–6-year-old children through free-style clay modeling activities, with the aim of contributing to improving educational quality in contemporary early childhood settings.

Keywords: 5–6-year-old children, clay modeling, creativity, free-style activities, imagination, skill development.