Last Chance for a Creativity-Boosting Giveaway!

Family Class Giveaway

We're welcoming 2018 with a giveaway from the Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM). In case you don't know, BADM is an incredible creativity-boosting, brain-building, and all-around-fun museum for kids ages 6 months to 10 years old. 

BADM is generously giving away a three-week family class to one lucky reader of GGMG's City Blocks Blog. The winner can enroll with a toddler (ages 2-4) in one three-week session of their choosing between January and March 2018. The winner will also have the opportunity to share their impressions of the experience on the blog.

Enter here by January 3, 2018 and spread the word—the more you share, the more entries you receive!

Family Class at Bay Area Discovery Museum Giveaway

Switch Story

Storytelling is a great way to exercise creativity and imagination. In this collaborative activity, one child begins weaving a tale, but others finish the thread! The improvisational element means children never know when it will be their turn to pick up the story, so listening is important and flexible thinking skills are encouraged. This activity is intended for all ages, and is recommended for three or more participants. 

Materials

• No materials required

Instructions

• Sit in a circle and brainstorm a list of interesting titles for an original group story, then work together pick one. 
• Pick someone to be the Story Starter. This person will begin the story. 
• Also select a leader who will call out “switch” when it is time for a new person to continue telling the story. The leader does not tell any of the story, but can call “switch” at any time!
• The Story Starter narrates the story until the leader calls “switch,” and then the person sitting to the Story Starter’s right picks up telling the tale. 
• Continue the process until everyone has had a turn to contribute to the story. As time progresses, the leader should call out “switch” more often, ensuring that everyone has the chance to put their own creative twist on the story. 

Links to Creativity

This classical improvisational activity asks children to riff or freestyle during group storytelling. Improvisation is a big piece of the creative process for so many artistic efforts, and it requires openness and flexibility to experience. 

Wearable Art

Design art that does double-duty as a fashion statement! In this activity, children use fabric, trim, ribbon, zippers, and more to express their creativity through clothing. This activity is intended for ages 6 and up and recommended for two to four participants. 

Materials

• Old t-shirts, sheets, or other fabrics that are no longer being used
• Zippers, trim, and ribbon
• Plastic needle or fabric glue
• Yarn or thread
• Fabric scissors

Instructions

• Gather materials and start designing. Decide on the type of wearable art to create. For inspiration, consider these design challenges:
  • Design an article of clothing that can be worn on a snowy day
  • Design something to keep your feet warm
  • Create a piece of wearable art for your head
  • Make something that is meant to be worn on your finger
• Pick an idea and direction, then experiment with different fabrics and trims. 
• Lay out the fabrics and begin sewing or gluing to attach them together.
• Try the design on!

Links to Creativity

This activity asks children to be creative using everyday materials in response to some real-world challenges. Using recycled materials encourages us to rethink what these materials are normally used as, and how they can be used in alternative ways. Brainstorming alternative uses is one way in which we use divergent thinking to solve a problem, which is an important part of the creative process.   

Contributor

These activities were contributed by the Center for Childhood Creativity at the Bay Area Discovery Museum. ©2014 Bay Area Discovery Museum. For similar activities, please visit CreativityCatapult.org