A large plastic bin can serve as an "invention box."

MCT photos

A hallway art gallery showcases kids' work.

We know inspiration when we see it: in our children's artwork and wacky inventions, in their proud smiles, and in the strata of dried paint on their smocks. But how can we, as parents, help kindle that spark? Here, families share their strategies for turning a home into a creative haven and inspiring their kids to make art, make music and even make believe.

Create with your junk

One person's trash really is another person's treasure. The Miles family of St. Augustine, Fla., for example, stores jar lids, toy wheels, cardboard tubes and other detritus in a large plastic bin dubbed the invention box.

Her kids -- Ryan, age 11, and Shannon, 8 -- haul it out whenever they get the urge to invent. Creations so far include a hamster playground, a rocket ship, musical instruments and free-form sculpture.

Post an idea list

For the Moore-Gordon family of Bothell, Wash., getting creative meant first turning off the TV. Then, to fill the void, mom Mary-Leah posted a list of alternatives ("build with blocks," "bake something," "play dress-up") by the television. "When the kids would ask if they could watch TV, I would point to the list," says Mary-Leah. "Pretty soon, I didn't have to point -- they just looked!"

Make the most of your space

Kids need a place to be inventive, and these families have found clever ways to give them the room they need.

The West family of Kissimmee, Fla., painted their kitchen cabinets with chalkboard paint so their kids can draw and play games while Mom and Dad cook.

The Tomeos of Denali Park, Alaska, turned a hallway into an art gallery, complete with chalkboard-paint-covered walls and clips for hanging kid art.

The dining room of the Lins' Dyer, Ind., home serves as a craft studio for their 4-year-old. "Ella's projects cover the walls, the table is set with paintbrushes instead of silverware, glue and scissors instead of plates," says mom Jennifer.

Showcase their work

Many parents understand the link between creativity and appreciation.

As Danville, N.H., mom Nancy Steenson puts it, "It's so important that kids know we value what they've made." To put this belief into practice, Nancy hangs her daughters' drawings where the family can readily admire them: on a pair of clotheslines strung in front of a large bank of windows.

The Dillons of Maple Valley, Wash., take a similar approach. They display their children's art in elegantly mismatched frames in their guest bathroom.

Make room for music

Years ago, the Hausens of Lewiston, Idaho, made a stage for a rock-and-roll birthday party, setting up lights, a sound board, amps, guitars and drums. After the party, they moved everything to the basement, where the stage became a permanent fixture. Over the years, they added a keyboard, chimes, cowbells, costumes, and even rows of seats from a local movie theater that had gone out of business.

"That crazy stage, which started as a party prop, turned out to be a constant opportunity for learning, experimenting, and encouraging family togetherness," notes their mother, Kymberlie.

Give their art a second life

Cheryl Dorweiler of Palm Harbor, Fla., found a cuddly way to display her son Westen's artwork: she turns the characters he draws into quilts, pillows and plushies. To make them, she enlarges the drawings to create a pattern and uses it to cut out cotton quilting fabrics, which she sews together and stuffs. "Just because it's drawn on paper doesn't mean it has to stop there."