Volume XII, Number IV

What makes something fun? What sparks creativity? While having fun is usually associated with childhood and leisure, what power does it offer to individuals and society at large? In this issue, KidSpirit contributors play with these questions and invite you to do the same.

1. In the Big Question department, editor Abdullah Sayed, challenges the way creativity and rationality are often framed as opposites. In his article, “Thinking Your Way to the Top,” Abdullah posits that creativity, “the ability to create novel ideas from existing inspirations,” deserves more credit for the scientific and cultural progress we enjoy in today’s society. Think of 3 things you use on a daily basis -- what creative thinking do you think led to these innovations? What problems were these innovations aiming to solve? Have you ever overcome challenges in your own life using creativity? Do you currently have challenges in your life that require a creative solution? Swap challenges and creative advice with your peers.

2. In her Awesome Moments article, “When the Wall Became a Canvas,” Adya Sarin remembers the fun she had painting plants and animals to fill holes on her bedroom’s walls and how sad she felt when the paintings were covered by fresh wallpaper. Nevertheless, this experience helped Adya realize how even ephemeral creative projects are valuable if they provide fun and inspiration. Can you remember a time when you created something that wouldn’t last forever, like a birthday cake or a snowman? What made that activity worthwhile despite that impermanence?

3. In “Imagination Is Never a Sin,” a moving Interfaith Connections article, Po-Ting (Duke) Lin recalls learning about the power of imagination from his late great-grandmother, who used this power to endure horrific challenges during the North China Famine and her immigration to Taiwan. Duke is grateful he inherited this imaginative mindset from his great-grandmother. Consider the lessons imparted by your own elders -- what parts of your mindset are inherited from them? How did these ways of thinking help your ancestors survive hardship? How do they make you more resilient today?

4. Dr. Scott Eberle, a writer and preeminent Play Studies scholar, contributes this issue’s PerSpectives article. In “COVID Tag and Other Games: Children Defy Disaster with Play,” he surveys both his personal experiences and his research to reveal the ways children process their circumstances through play. He reports how kids today have created new games like “COVID tag” to reflect and make fun out of their stressful lives in quarantine. Think about some of the games you enjoyed as a young child or you enjoy today. Swap answers with your peers and discuss how parts of those games help you process stressful aspects of real life.