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Have time to reconnect to how it feels to play freely (play without fear of failure, play without a predetermined goal).
Have the opportunity to explore different types of play.
Use play as a way to be creative and think of new ideas.
Understand the importance of play in creativity, idea generation, and innovation.
Understand that in the \"real world\" there are times to be serious but there are times when playing and being playful will help them be more creative, generate more ideas, be more in touch with people's (e.g. customers, investors, etc.) needs, and be more able to solve problems.

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Items for warm-up (simple, everyday items are fine)

Wacky Inventions Inc. Team Brief Handout

You'll need 3 items per group, and these can be anything you have on-hand (nothing dangerous!):

Markers
Boxes/empty cartons
Ruler
Plastic bottle
Old cell phone
Lego brick/construction block
Cup, plate, spoon
Hat, scarf
Board games, cards

Optional: This activity can also be done using the Wacky Inventions Virtual Activity Object Cards using the link in the resources section.

Wacky Invention Object Cards

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Have items you want to use easily accessible for example on a central table or in a large box.

Put students into groups of 4-6 for the warm-up \"What is it anyway?\" Or, if you have a small and well-bonded group, you can do the warm-up as a whole group activity.

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Students play a warm up game called \"What is it anyway?\" (10-15 minutes):
- Each group will stand in a circle and put an object on the floor in the middle of the circle.
- The group will say, \"What is it anyway?\"
- One person will go to the middle, pick up the object and say \"This is my __\" (filling in the blank by coming up with a new invention/use for the item - using an action to help everyone understand).
- Then the next person goes to the middle (they don't need to go in order - students can just take a turn as soon as they think of an idea).
The aim is for each group to come up with as many different ways that this object could be used, reinvented and/or repurposed...the wackier the better! There are no wrong ideas here and students should feel free to have fun and act out their ideas.

Tip: It is a good idea to model the game to the group beforehand by acting out an
example:
- Put a pen in the middle of a group - say \"What is it anyway?\" and then walk to the middle, pick up the pen and say, \"This is my new microphone\" while holding it up as if to sing/talk, or \"This is my invisible ink.\"
Ask one person from each group to collect an object and then return to their group. Give the groups one minute to come up with as many ideas as they can.
Stop the groups and get one person to return their object and collect a different one. Play the game 3-4 times (or as many as is fun)!

Students will then take their playful ideas further (they should continue to work in the same groups as they did for the warm-up game).
Explain to the group that they are inventors for the company called \"Wacky Inventions Inc.\" - the company is relying on them to come up with a revolutionary new product that will sky rocket the company's poor sales!
Give out the Wacky Inventions Inc. Team Brief Handout to help you explain the activity - read through the instructions on the handout with the groups.
Once you have read through the instructions with the group, give out 3 objects to each one. If a group is struggling for ideas, it can be helpful to add something new by allowing the group to choose one object to exchange.
As groups work together, encourage them to get onto their feet and act out their ideas - encourage them to exaggerate and be silly so they can push the boundaries of their ideas. Give students around 20 minutes, allowing for 10 minutes to share their skits.
Each group should share their Wacky Inventions skit. After they have shared, ask each group to briefly explain how the object inspired their ideas. Highlight that ideas develop and evolve - so using a starting point like the objects helps us tap into our creativity. As we have the freedom to play, we can explore and try out many ideas! When an entrepreneur plays around with ideas, objects, products etc. they will think through and often test many different ideas and many different versions of each idea before focusing on developing a few of them in more depth.
Optional homework or extension: Assign students to find three additional items to come up with wacky inventions.

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This is a series on play and being playful, considered cornerstones of creativity and idea generation.

In the first activity, \"Play Stations,\" students are provided with the opportunity to play and reconnect with their own innate creativity.

In the second activity, \"Wacky Inventions,\" students work in groups to use existing products and objects to come up with (and then act out) the wackiest inventions they can think of.

Why is play important? There is significant evidence that many ideas for new products and services were developed through playing around with ideas, materials and products. Play itself gives us a fresh perspective which is often critical in solving problems and being innovative.

Play also helps us better understand the world around us because we can explore things in a fun way - we can make and build, create new worlds and personas, play new games and break the rules without fear of consequences. Play helps entrepreneurs innovate because it's risk-free—there's no judgment or failure when you're playing.

Using play and being playful as a tool for developing creativity can improve one's ability to generate ideas and solve problems. Often, to be able to come up with lots of ideas people need to be given permission to play around and be free from judgment!

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Wacky Inventions

Wacky Inventions

Wacky Inventions

Overview