Play for Creativity

Play is one of the essential skills for boosting creativity, as outlined in the Create 8 framework. Learning and creativity go hand in hand. All humans learn best through play.

From the time we are born, play is part of our human experience. Consider how small children play house, play school, or engage in various games. Play is necessary to learn new skills. For this reason, Create 8 embraces play as a significant skill to practice throughout a lifetime, not only during childhood.

We all need to continue to play throughout our lives. Play is not only for children. Adults often associate play with childhood and shy away from play activities throughout adulthood. Create 8 gives adults and children permission to play. Practices that support the creative skills for play include building habits related to increasing your willingness to tap into your inner child.

Practice Play: Sing a Song for Chores

The next time you are engaging in a simple task or chore, sing a song out loud. The song can be one you already know, or even better, make up a song in the moment about the chore. Keep singing while you perform the task. Welcome the urge to change the song at any time. There are no rules for this music

Play Meditation

Sit up straight with your feet resting on the floor.

Breathing in, focus on your breath. Breathing out, focus on something that went well today. Notice each breath: breathing in, noticing your belly move, and with each breath out, try to think of something that went well today. For the next 3 breaths, think of 3 things that went well today.

Breathing in, focus on your breath. Breathing out, picture something that makes you proud. It does not need to be something that happened today—just anything that makes you feel proud. Don’t worry if you can’t think of anything; that sometimes happens. Instead, try to think of something that would make you feel proud. For the next 3 breaths, think of 3 things that made you feel proud.

Take a few deep breaths, and start to wiggle your fingers and toes.

Today, we practiced playing with positivity.

Living Creatively

Play is a crucial skill for enhancing creativity, as emphasized in the Create 8 framework. Humans learn best through play, starting from childhood with activities like playing house or school. Create 8 advocates for the importance of play throughout life, not just in childhood, encouraging adults to embrace play as well.