Another way to practice creative fluency is to begin with an idea, object or subject and brainstorm wilder and crazier possibilities. This little game can help.
If I Didn’t...
A good book to “prime the mind:” Jenny’s Hat by Ezra Jack Keats
This game can be played alone but is better when played with others. If you play it in a group, sit in a circle and go around the circle as many times as you can. Try to get more and more ridiculous or outrageous. (Keep pushing the envelope!)
Person A: If I didn’t have a cup, I’d drink from a __________________________ .
Person B: If I didn’t have that, I’d use a __________________________ .
Persons C, etc. If I didn’t have that, I’d use a __________________________ .
When you simply cannot think of one more idea, do one or more of the following, alone or with a partner:
- Draw a picture of a person drinking from something unusual.
- Construct a new object for drinking.
- Act out a skit or write a story about cups had disappearing.
- Write a 1st person song or poem, “I am a cup…”
Repeat the game with one or more of these objects:
- a house
- a television
- a chair
- a pair of shoes
- a television
- bed
- pencil
- coat
- pet dog
- bicycle
- ball
- jump rope
- microphone
- cookie
Crazy Combos
Push the envelope by imagining everyday objects/subjects with new characteristics.
A good book to “prime the mind:” Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
This game can be played alone or with a partner.
- Write the objects/subjects on separate cards.
- Write the characteristics in another color on their own cards.
- Randomly choose one from each set of cards; e.g., “Tall Chair.”
- Draw, construct, act out, dance or write a poem, story or song about the combination. (If you really don’t like the results, try again.)
- Optional: Choose just one object/subject but several characteristics.
Objects/Subjects |
Characteristics |
||||
chair shoe hat chair television refrigerator bed
|
cat
dog bird fish monkey horse lion |
swing
skate slide doll bicycle ball wagon |
tall
tiny purple transparent bumpy scratchy sweet |
round
flat noisy silent jazzy flowing rocketing |
enormous
bright dark flexible slippery growing shrinking |