• Exercise Your Imagination

Great inventors have one thing in common…they have great imaginations! Imagination sometimes means looking at things from a different point of view, dreaming up new ways of doing things, or doing the same old thing in a whole new way. Here are some ways to exercise your imagination muscles!

Follow an ant

On a warm day, go outside and find an ant. Follow this tiny worker for a while. Then imagine how the world looks to that ant. What would your shoes look like to the ant? What does a big juicy watermelon look like to an ant that is so tiny? Draw something from an ant’s point of view.

Take flight

Imagine you are traveling high in the sky on the wings of a butterfly, a bird or in a hot air balloon. What do you see when looking down? Draw a picture of your neighborhood from a bird’s-eye view. What can you see? How do rooftops, backyards, cars and people look different from this point of view?

Do the opposite

Try drawing a picture with your other hand, the one you don’t usually use. Or even just write your name with your opposite hand. How does it change?

Imaginary house, cave, time capsule or vehicle

Find a large recycled box, such as an appliance box. Decide what you want it to be. A house, a cave, a time capsule or a fantastic new vehicle that can travel in magical ways. Maybe it’s an airplane that hops, a boat that flies or a car that surfs. Decorate your box with paint or markers. Ask your adult to help you cut out windows or other shapes. Take an imaginary adventure in your new space.

Growing up

Imagine what you would like to be doing 10 or 20 years from now. Where will you live? What job will you have? How will you be the same or different from who you are today?

Create a New Holiday

Plan a new celebration. What is the theme and name of your holiday? Create decorations. Plan the food. What new traditions would be part of this holiday? Would this holiday happen every year? Who would be invited to this celebration?

Make funny food combinations

Create funny food combinations in the kitchen. Mix and match your favorite foods, creating imaginative new DISHES. Chocolate stew or fruit salad pops. Who knows what unique food flavors may be the next big hit?

Nature walk

Take a paper bag and go on a walk outside. Try to collect at least 10 objects from nature, no more than one of each thing (only one leaf, one flower, one rock, etc). When you get home, make a story from the objects by reaching in the bag and pulling out items one by one for inspiration.

Brush-less painting

Anyone can paint with a brush. For this activity, find things around the house that you can paint with that aren’t brushes. Try using string, or odd bits of sponge, broken pencils, rubber bands, strips of yarn or fabric, apples cut in half, or even a discarded action figure or doll. See what happens!