Creative Thinking Prompt: Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles

Creative Thinking Prompts, Imagination,

Creative Thinking Prompt: Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles

Make your own bubble blowing wands to create unique bubbles.

Materials:  pipecleaners,  low gauge wire

Bend into shapes. Dip into bubble solution. Blow.

What happened? Were your bubbles the shape of your wand? How big or small were your bubbles? How many bubbles can you blow before having to dip your wand back into the solution?

Blow bubbles onto a piece of paper to make bubble art. Color the bubble solution with drops of food coloring.

Write your name using bubble letters. Blow colored bubbles onto your bubble letters.

@www.graffitidiplomacy.com

Think Deeper: Create an image using bubbles to “color” your image. And experiment with ingredients to make your own bubble recipe.

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/crafts/the-two-best-homemade-soap-bubble-recipes

 

Good News Bad News

Perspective, Picture Books, ,

“Good News Bad News”

Using only four words, author/illustrator Jeff Mack creates an engaging, fun story. Rabbit and Mouse go on a picnic. Bad news, it starts to rain. Good news, Rabbit has an umbrella.

Each good news for Rabbit is bad news for Mouse.

Rabbit turns each bad news into good news but when he gets sad, Mouse must turn bad news into good news.

This book promotes different perspective and creativity.

TITLE:  Good News Bad News

AUTHOR: Jeff Mack

ILLUSTRATOR: Jeff Mack

PUBLISHER: Chronicle Books, 2012

AGE GROUP: 4-6

CREATIVE COMPONENTS: different perspective, creativity

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:

1) How might you turn something that seems “bad news” into “good news”?

2) Create your own cause and effect (good news, bad news) story about going to the park. 

EXTENDING CONNECTIONS:

To learn more about author/illustrator Jeff Mack, visit:

http://www.jeffmack.com

Creative Thinking Prompt: You Are The Storyteller: A Coloring Story

Creative Thinking Prompts, Imagination, , ,

Creative Thinking Prompt:

You Are The Storyteller: A Coloring Story

Collect several different coloring books. With an adult’s permission, tear out pages that spark your interest. Color these pages. Combine different mediums such as markers, colored pencils, and ink. Remember it’s okay to color outside the lines. Next embellish these pages with textured 3D objects such as ribbons, buttons, glitter, etc. Once your pages are complete, organize them in such a way that they tell a story. Tell your story to others. You are the storyteller while your pictures are the visual story.

book

Discovery, Imagination, Picture Books,

“book”

In book, readers discover why books are anything but ordinary.

Look closer, closer, CLOSER.

Readers will lose themselves within the worlds of the whimsical illustrations and warm storytelling. Come read and see for yourself. What worlds will your imagination take you to?

This book promotes imagination and discovery.

TITLE: book

AUTHOR: David Miles

ILLUSTRATOR: Natalie Hoopes

PUBLISHER: Familius LLC, 2015

AGE GROUP: 5-7

CREATIVE COMPONENTS: imagination, discovery

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:

1) Build a fort or a chair from piles of books.

2) Create a make-believe world that you would like to visit.

3) Visit your local library.

EXTENDING CONNECTIONS:

To learn more about author David Miles, visit:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/book-david-miles/prod9781939629654.html

To learn more about illustrator Natalie Hoopes, visit:

http://www.nataliehoopes.com

Creative Thinking Prompt: Design Your Pool

Creative Expression, Creative Thinking Prompts, Flexible Thinking, Imagination, Originality, , ,
 Creative Thinking Prompt: Design Your Pool

In the dog days of summer, wouldn’t it be great if you had a pool that had everything you wanted? Design a pool that fits your style.

Here are some pool designs to inspire you.

http://njcustomswimmingpools.com/projects/bedford-ny-glass-tile-design/

http://www.maleeqdecor.com

http://www.archiexpo.com/prod/hartwigsen/product-9996-324172.html

Think Deeper: What else can your pool be used for besides swimming?

Beard In A Box

Creative Problem Solving, Humor, Imagination, Picture Books, ,

“Beard In A Box”

In Beard In A Box written and illustrated by Bill Cotter, a young boy wants to be just like his dad. He determines that Dad gets his awesomeness from his beard.

He needs a beard, too.

He follows the 5 step program: picks a style, plants seeds, waters, does face exercises and then… Step 5: Wait 10-15 years. UGH!!

Then things get worse when his dad shaves off his beard. Double UGH!!

In the end, Dad shows his son how to be awesome.

This book promotes imagination, humor and creativity.

TITLE: Beard In A Box

AUTHOR: Bill Cotter

ILLUSTRATOR: Bill Cotter

PUBLISHER: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016

AGE GROUP: 5-7

CREATIVE COMPONENTS: creativity, humor, imagination

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:

1)   Design a new beard style.

2) Brainstorm a list of words that you associate with awesomeness. From your list, pick one word to describe your dad and one word to describe you. Combine these two words to invent a new word. Use this new word to write an acrostic poem about your relationship with your dad. (You can also use this exercise with others that you love even your pet.)

EXTENDING CONNECTIONS:

To learn more about author/illustrator Bill Cotter, visit:

http://cotterillustration.squarespace.com

Creative Thinking Prompt: Candygories Art Game

Combination, Creative Thinking Prompts, Imagination, ,

Creative Thinking Prompt: Candygories Art Game

I love playing games. As a kid, I refused to read the game rules. Instead I tried to figure out how to play the game on my own. If the game eventually got too easy, I invented my own rules for more challenge. Today, I created Candygories, a combination of the game Scattergories and food art.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2-6 players, ages 5 and up

MATERIALS:

  • Gather together a mix of assorted candy, marshmallows, pretzels, chocolate chips, assorted cereals, and assorted different sized crackers. If you’d like, you can add other food.
  • a timer or something that can track 2 minutes
  • paper and pencils
  • a list of categories

HOW TO PLAY:

  • As a group, make a list of 15 categories such as zoo animals, ways to get to school, pets, things that grow, etc. Write categories on separate slips of paper and fold up. Put these slips into a hat or bowl.
  • Place the assorted food in the center of the circle where everyone can reach it.
  • Choose who will go first. The first player picks a category from the hat, reads it out loud and then starts the timer for two minutes (or if you want to extend the time, you can).
  • Each player will create an object from the chosen category using the food supply.
  • When time is up, write down what you think each player created. Then each player takes a turn with their guesses. A point is given for each correct guess to the player whose creation was guessed correctly.
  • Take turns by going around the circle. When it is the next player’s turn, s/he will select a new category from the hat.
  • The player who gets to 15 first wins.

Flight School

Picture Books, ,

“Flight School”

Little Penguin has the heart of an eagle but he isn’t made to soar. He goes to Flight School to learn how to fly.

“Penguins just aren’t build to fly,” said Teacher.

Sad Little Penguin readies to leave school but his friends have an idea.

With some technical help, Little Penguin flies.

This book promotes individuality and passion for one’s dream.

TITLE: Flight School

AUTHOR: Lita Judge

ILLUSTRATOR: Lita Judge

PUBLISHER: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014

AGE GROUP: 4-7

CREATIVE COMPONENTS: individuality, perseverance, passion for one’s dream

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:

1) The old saying goes “Birds of a feather stick together.” But Little Penguin didn’t stay with his flock. He decided to pursue his dream. What’s something you aren’t old enough to do (that is safe) that you really, really want to do? How might you persuade a grown-up that you are ready?

2) Using colored craft feathers, make a rainbow creation to remind yourself to pursue your dreams no matter how challenging.

EXTENDING CONNECTIONS:

To learn more about author/illustrator Lita Judge, visit:

http://www.litajudge.net

Creative Thinking Prompt: What’s That Smell?

Creative Thinking Prompts, Imagination,

Creative Thinking Prompt: What’s That Smell?

Brainstorm different types of smells. From your list, choose 20.

With an adult, walk around your neighborhood or town sniffing.

Give yourself a point for each smell you find on your list.

Think Deeper: Create a symphony of smells. Pretend you are a songwriter. How would you use smells to create a song?

Willy’s Stories

Imagination, Originality, Picture Books, ,

“Willy’s Stories”

Willy’s Stories is written and illustrated by British Children’s Laureate (2009-2011) Anthony Browne. Each day Willy walks through these doors and something incredible happens.

Each of the ten stories begin in such a way as to disguise a well-known classic story, inserting the reader into a new story and then having the reader continue the story.

At the end of the book, the ten classic tales are revealed.

This book promotes imagination and originality.

TITLE: Willy’s Stories

AUTHOR: Anthony Browne, British Children’s Laureate 2009-2011

ILLUSTRATOR: Anthony Browne

PUBLISHER: Candlewick Press, 2014

AGE GROUP: 6-8

CREATIVE COMPONENTS: imagination, originality

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:

1) Pick a classic tale. Rewrite the beginning of this story. See if your friends can guess what classic tale it is.

2) Create your own fairy tale. Combine characters from two different classic stories and put them together in a story.

 EXTENDING CONNECTIONS:

To learn more about author/illustrator Anthony Browne, visit:

http://www.anthonybrownebooks.com