101 Activities For Teaching Creativity And Problem Solving

Chapter 6

Combinations

T

o combine is to put together. When you put things together, you combine them in

ways that may or may not be unique. It all depends on what you combine and who

observes the result. That is, it’s a matter of perspective.

Each combination is a stimulus that has the power to prompt any number of associa-

tions. And associations can help spark ideas. Thus, whatever we combine—whether relat-

ed or unrelated to a problem—has the ability to yield creativity.

The activities in this chapter rely on the principle of combination and the stimuli and

associations that result. Some activities combine things related to the problem, some com-

bine things unrelated to the problem, and some combine related and unrelated things.

Combination activities are a little like “ticklers” (Chapter 5) in that both activities use

various stimuli. The difference lies in how we respond to the stimuli. Ticklers provide

direct stimulation; combinations stimulate more indirectly by joining together various

elements in new ways.

NOTE: FOR ALL ACTIVITES, REMIND PARTICPANTS

TO DEFER JUDGMENT WHILE GENERATING IDEAS.

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