Sir Ken Robinson has all sorts of ideas about creativity:
“You can be imaginative all day long and never do anything.”
“To be creative you have to do something.”
He defines imagination as, “…the process of having original ideas that have value.”
Creativity is is the work of bringing an imagination to shape.
Perfectionism and procrastination have the power to silence an idea by simply stopping imagination in its tracks. I’ve seen it happen over and over and over again. So has Sir Ken:
“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.”
As a mom and educator, I design opportunities for creativity to occur on a daily basis. Other times—and I am thankful for these moments—spontaneity does the work for me.
Last week my two youngest sons, Liam and Søren, spent the day at the office with Uncle Brian who gave them a challenge: Make something.
He provided:
• Gaffer’s Tape
• Bubble Wrap
• Zip Ties
And they spent the next couple hours creating.
They marched into the house that evening beaming with pride in their accomplishment.
Thanks Uncle Brian.
PS I couldn’t help but notice some whispering of you-know-who in their creations!