Creativity for all Ages

Bonjour, Friends--

Thank you for your emails this past week.  I am so thrilled to hear from you and I love getting suggestions.  In fact, I just received a request to post a creativity prompt for children.

Your wish is my command!

Children are natural story-tellers, but sometimes they do need a little inspiration.  So, I am giving you my children's version of The Writers Toolbox.  

This game will work well for storytelling and make-believe (with just one person or five or six).  Also, it's great for kiddos who like to create plays and improvise scenes and dialogue.  Oh, and it's perfect for ages five and up.  In fact, grown-ups will have just as much fun with this as children.

 It's a good idea to place the popsicle sticks (or folded paper or cards) for your heroes, goals, problems and actions in their own little containers.  Think about putting them someplace fun, such as a cookie jar, a painted box, or a bucket. 

Then, close your eyes and dip into the bag or bucket or box or jar.  You're not allowed to peek!  The luck of the draw is very important!  (And it will keep you from discarding one hero (or goal or problem or action) for another one.

Okay, so begin with the hero, then give that hero a goal, and a problem, and finally an action.  You can go back again and again for new problems and actions.  That's what really drives a story--problems and actions (sometimes wrong-headed actions are the best!). Get your hero into hot water! 

Start with these heroes (and then make up a few of your own):

 

Next, give your hero a goal, such as:

 

Now, that your hero has a goal, your hero needs a problem!  The problem is the thing that challenges the hero and helps them grow and change.

 

And finally, your hero must take action.  Remember, that every action begets another action.  So, when you (or your child) feels stuck in the story, dip in and pick a new action.  You'll see, it's fun!

Here's a sample of what you might come up with when you play this game.  

Do you feel your imagination already spinning and turning!?  

 

Please me know how this work out for you and if you have any other topics you'd like me to write about.  In the meantime, here's wishing you a very creative week!

Love,

Jamie