World Creativity and Innovation Week (WCIW) Part II: What might be all the ways to celebrate creativity this month?

By Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Julia Figliotti

Associate Professor and Graduate Assistant

InternationalCenter for Studies in Creativity

Last week we let you know how to celebrate creativity with the children in your life. But we know how difficult in can be to acquire a child if you don’t have any of your own, so we decided to compile a list of twenty-one things you can do to celebrate WCIW – no children required!

As you know, WCIW is a global celebration of our natural ability to create. It is about “celebrating our ability to get new ideas, use imagination, and make new decisions to make the world a better place, and to make your place in the world better too.” So let’s get creating!

  1.    Jump on public speaking opportunities.

  2.    Write a familiar story in a fantasy setting.

  3.    Re-write the lyrics to a favorite song to describe an important aspect of your life.

  4.    Order business cards that don’t have to do with your job. You can be an “Awesomness Consultant” or an “Optimist Extraordinaire.” Hand them out to people who will appreciate them!

  5.    Cook something you’ve never cooked before, or try a familiar dish with different spices.

  6.    Keep an observation notebook.

  7.    Sit and do nothing. See what comes of it!

  8.    Feeling stressed? Have a 30 second dance party. (Singing is encouraged!)

  9.    In one day, try to make as many relevant puns as possible. Keep a tally – then try to best your total next month!

  10.  Go to an art store and buy three tubes of paint: black, white, and a color of your choosing. See how many monochrome paintings you can create.

  11.  Write down your ideas – no matter how wacky they seem!

  12.  Go somewhere new.

  13.  Read a biography of a creative person: Harpo Marx, Dorothy Parker, Pablo Picasso, Albert Einstein, etc. What do you have in common with the person you read about?

  14.  Start a collection.

  15.  Look at a world map. How many countries have you visited? Which ones would you like to visit? Make a list – and don’t hold back!

  16.  Write a children’s book.

  17.  Listen to your favorite song and create a work of art – a poem, a painting, a drawing, a sculpture, etc. – depicting how the song makes you feel.

  18.  Turn on a bad television show and choose a character – then mute the TV. Every time your character speaks, you have to supply the lines!

  19.  Ask “What if” questions.

  20.  Accomplish something every day, and write it down. After a month, review what you’ve accomplished and know that you can do anything if you take it one day at a time!

  21.  Turn off your cell phone, iPod, and other electronics and enjoy nature!

Remember, WCIW is about celebrating our own creativity. Use this week to highlight your creative ability, and continue to create even when the week is through!

If you have any more ideas you would like to share, please post them in the comments section below.

Check out the following website for more creative ideas to try at home, in education, or at work! And don't forget to share what you did with the world!