101 Uses for a dried-up pen
101 Uses for a dried-up pen is a creative thinking activity that encourages people to rethink the uses that can be given to a common object: a pen! For this game you have to form teams of four or five people, it will depend on the number of participants in the large group.
The participants get together and draw a pen on a piece of paper to brainstorm all the possible uses of the pen. It is important that someone in the group records all the ideas that come up on a piece of paper.
Members must think “outside the box” to run the game successfully. 3 minutes are allotted for each team to think and write down all the uses of a pen, they can name common uses and other unusual uses.
For example, some unusual uses could be using the pen as a ruler or even a drink stirrer. The team that submits the longest list wins the game!
The concept of this game can be applied to other topics, for example writing, and challenge members to “see” a literary work in a different light, to think of different lenses or angles through which to analyze.
Moment of Reflection
- Why do you think it is interesting to think about the non-conventional use of a pen?
- Was it difficult for you to change your way of thinking about an object of everyday life?
- Can imagination or creativity be used to address other problems or situations in everyday life?
The topics of this publication: creativity, imagination, brainstorming
