To encourage creativity, encourage messing around.
This week in honor of the start new school year, Michel Resnick, Professor of Learning Research at MIT Media Lab, posted an excerpt from his book Lifelong Kindergarten. He notes that what’s good for kids is good for grown-ups, too.
“I think the core issues for cultivating creativity are the same, whether you’re in the home or in the classroom. The key challenge is not how to “teach creativity” to children, but rather how to create a fertile environment in which their creativity will take root, grow, and flourish.”
“I’m organizing this section around the five components of the Creative Learning Spiral: imagine, create, play, share, and reflect. I propose strategies for helping children imagine what they want to do, create projects through playing with tools and materials, share ideas and creations with others, and reflect on their experiences.”
Article: Ten Tips for Cultivating Creativity