Imagination Exercise

I met with a psychologist about a [secret project]. He told me a lot about the science of play. When I work with kids, when I speak at schools, when I lead workshops, I’m always striving for the feeling of yes, this is fun.

The reason I started this whole journey is because we need to have more fun connecting.

Play along if you like, here’s an exercise to jog your creativity that the doctor taught me:

Write/Tell me something you can do with a brick.

Then measure your answer with these three categories:
Numerical - another idea.
Unique - how unexpected it is
Flexible - how different it is than the other ideas people have come up with.

Some examples:

1. Using it to build a wall.
   Numerical - plus one idea
   Unique - not unexpected at all
   Flexible - currently, the only idea.

2. Using the brick as inspiration to paint still life

   Numerical - plus one idea

   Unique - fairly unexpected

   Flexible - pretty different from using as a building tool

3. Using the brick to measure a brick of water by displacement

   Numerical - plus one idea

   Unique - very unexpected

   Flexible - very different from building and art

4. Using the brick to build a house

   Numerical - plus one idea

   Unique - very expected

   Flexible - very similar to the wall

And so on.

You can set the parameters.
If you play with kids, just thinking of “can you name 20 things to do with a brick” is a creative exercise.

If you play with students, divide them into groups and see who can come up with the most amount of flexibility.

Or with friends, who can come up with the most unique idea.

Mix and match as you see fit.
And find yourself having some fun talking about bricks… or whatever you like.