We are continuing with Optimizing Brain Fitness by The Great Courses! You may want to start with the first post in this series on the brain.
There are two terms I would like to define today: creativity and divergent thinking. The following definitions come from Dictionary.com.
Creativity – the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.
Divergent thinking – thinking in an unusual and unstereotyped way, e.g. to generate several possible solutions to a problem.
Creativity and divergent thinking involve :
- Fluency – rapidly producing possibilities for solutions to a problem
- Elaboration – thinking through the details of the problem
- Flexibility – entertaining multiple approaches at the same time
- Originality – coming up with ideas that most people don’t consider
I am going to devote more attention to practical ways to enhance creativity and divergent thinking in brain function in my post tomorrow, but I’ll tease you with one before I go.
Comic Strip Scramble – cut and scramble the frames of a comic strip, and then see if your child can rearrange them into their correct order. To make it even more fun, allow them to test your skills! This game tests your puzzle-solving ability, sense of timing, and logic.
I can’t wait to try this with my kids! Let me know how it goes for you!
Hosanna 😀