Training our creative thinking needs practice. Here you can find a list of exercises that you can do every day to improve your creative thinking mindset.

  • REINTERPRET SHAPES

Select any three of these shapes. Think of a way to combine them to make an interesting, potentially useful object. Do a quick sketch of your invention.

shapes

Without saying anything, show your sketch to someone else, and ask them to describe what they think it is.

  • CONNECT WORDS

Close your eyes and pick two words at random from a magazine, a book, or a web page. Then, think of all of the possible ways to connect these two words.

  • COMBINE CONCEPTS

Select one of these imaginary objects and draw what it might look like:

  • A vehicle that is also a kind of bird
  • A computer that is also a kind of bottle
  • A piece of furniture that is also a kind of vegetable

  • Develop your creative imagination

  • Make an ink stain on a piece of paper and dry it immediately. What objects does it look like? Make a list
  • It is cold and rainy. Think of 10 ways an 8-year-old could have fun at home using imagination
  • Cut out six illustrated jokes from a magazine, removing the original captions, and make up new ones
  • What a silk hat might be used for other than as a headdress?