Exercises To Encourage Creativity

ctionlaundry", "my feet are pressed against the cold
Before I list some very helpful and powerfultiles", "I smell the rain-soaked air." The student
exercises to encourage creativity, let's take ashould aim to make her live or potential listener
moment to consider what constitutes creativity,vividly experience what she sees. In order to
why we aspire to encourage creativity in the firstdevelop and maintain the flow of streaming
place and what is required from the person whoimagery, the student should ask herself new
wishes to encourage creativity through exercises,questions as to the nature of objects she sees in
be it her own creativity or that of others.her mind and explore them in detail. Relaying the
Definition of Creativitymental images should be done in a hastened pace
If one wishes to encourage creativity, it is advisedto avoid judgment and critical thinking. Image
that she first has a clear definition of this term.streaming is to be exercised for at least 10
However, Creativity is an illusive and complexminutes each time. Over time, this exercise
term that seems to defy definition, so let me listimproves creativity and intelligence.
some options and choose what fit you most.Creativity Exercise #2 - Challenge Traditional
Creativity has to do with original and flexibleThinking
thinking, the ability to pay attention to details, theThis exercise can be practiced in a group or
ability to cope with uncertainty. Creative individualsindividually. Routine thinking is good for every day
possess a high motivation to overcome obstaclestasks, since you perform the task without
and solve problems, the willingness to takeemploying your mind and wasting energy on the
calculated risks, the desire to work hard in turnthinking process. For example, if you take the
for recognition.same route to work every day, you soon drive
Benefits of Creativityon auto-pilot. If, however, you have a task that
Encouraging creativity through exercises is arequires you take a different route, then you
proven way to develop young minds. Weavinghave to concentrate and be aware of the left
creativity exercises into children's educationand right turns you make. If your thoughts drift,
greatly improves their chances of becomingyou will find yourself going unintentionally in the
successful and constructive adults who are able toregular route. If you wish to exercise creativity in
cope more aptly with a rapidly changing world. Ansolving problems, you have to stay clear of
environment that encourages creativity is also aroutine thinking. This can be achieved by forcing
solid foundation for mental health. Creativitythe mind to find new routes. Instructions: make a
exercises cultivate highly motivated students wholist of words and write each word on a card. For
are less prone to adverse psychological stateseach word instruct the students to come up with
such as stress and boredom.2 related words and write these down on
Creativity Exercises - What Is Required of theseparate cards as well. You now have groups of
Teacherthree words each. And now for the creative part:
First and foremost: you have to practice whatrandomly pick two unassociated words and
you preach, you have to walk the talk, or in otherinstruct your students to come up with an
words, if you want to encourage someone'sassociation between the two seemingly unrelated
creativity, be creative! Show them. Don't tell them.words. This will force their thinking process to
Be a role model for exercising creativity and theyform an unfamiliar route, a connection between
will follow.two dots that were unconnected until now.
Creativity is to be handled with respect and care.Forcing our mind to find new trails that connect A
Therefore, you have to create a special andand B is exactly what enhances creativity. Along
suitable physical environment for creativitythe same lines, you can try these variation: make
exercises. Such environment should bea basic outline map of the United States without
comfortable and enabling, and guarded fromstate names. Instead of state names, write down
outside disruptions.names of world countries. For example, instead of
What's even more important than the physicalTexas write Canada, instead of California write
environment is the emotional one. YourFrance. And so on. Now ask your students to find
responsibility is to create a safe place to expressassociations between the state and the country.
ideas, make mistakes, be silly, and not be judgedRemember that we are not after any correct
or be subjected to ridicule. I can't stress thisanswer. We are exercising this in order to create
enough. Passing judgment kills creativity. Eliminatenew roads. So don't test your students'
corrections and advice to a minimum. Abandonknowledge. Encourage them to come up with any
the right and wrong, black and white, good andassociation they can think of. It can relate to
bad mentality. Enable your students to fearlesslyculture, economy, language, but it can also relate
express their thoughts, their individuality. Toto the spelling of the names or to their
achieve a safe environment for self expression,pronunciation. Be open.
be sure to incorporate in your creativity exercisesCreativity Exercise #3 - The Gods Must Be Crazy
the following ingredients: humor, laughter, music,An African Bushman, unaware of white culture,
art, drama, dance, and movement.discovers an empty Coca Cola bottle in the
Some of the following creativity exercises requireKalahari Desert. The bushman closely examines
certain materials. Be sure to provide thesethis mystical object (casually dropped by a passing
materials. You should probably provide additionalpilot), wondering what it is good for. He then tries
materials that are not directly related to yourblowing into it, and is very pleased to learn that it
planned exercises, in case your students will comemakes a noise. In this creativity exercise you
up with fresh ideas and require materials to realizeencourage your students to become Bushmen. I
them.mean it. You need to collect 5 to 10 props. You
Expose your students to creative artwork indisplay a prop to your students and ask them to
order to inspire them and wet their appetite, butfind a new use for it. This exercise encourages
beware not to over do it. You want to give yourcreativity since it forces the thinking process to
students ideas, to jump start their creativeerase or ignore what is known and come up with
muscles; you want them to be encouraged, notfresh ways of looking at something familiar.
discouraged.Creativity Exercise #4 - Music's Story
Creativity Exercise #1 - Image StreamingPlay a piece of classical music, preferably one that
This exercise is to be carried out in pairs oryour students don't know. Dim the lights, instruct
individually. The exercising student closes her eyesyour students to close their eyes and listen
and asks herself a question. The exercisingclosely to the music. The music tells a story, it
student then describes out loud her mental visualtells about the weather, about a poor or rich man,
imagery either to another student or to a tapeabout mad love that is now dying. Ask each
recorder. Describing of the mental images shouldstudent to follow every plot twist, every change
be flowing and streaming. In the process ofof atmosphere. Then stop the music and ask
describing the images she sees in her mind, theyour students to write down their stories, with as
student should concentrate on sensory details. Formuch detail as possible.
example, "I feel the softness of the fresh