Other Uses Game

Other Uses is an exercise that encourages divergent thinking – the ability to generate ideas or solutions from a single idea or a piece of information. This skill is thought to be one of the most important factors of creativity.

The Alternate Uses exercise requires you to come up with as many ideas as possible of how to use a given item, with a limit of 3 minutes. A great thing about it is that the more you practice, the easier it gets, because your mind starts to apply this way of thinking to any situation of life automatically.

You need a notebook or a sheet of paper for each participant and pens

In 3 minutes, note down as many ideas as possible of how else you can use an everyday object – for example a brick. If the normal use of the brick is to use it for building, then alternate uses could be: use it as a grill, for self defence or even color it as your buddy, just like a Wilson ball in Cast Away movie.

Finally, have the group share all the ideas written down and count the number of alternative uses they imagined.

Moment of Reflection

• Why do you think it is interesting to think about the alternative use of an object?
• Was it difficult for you to change your way of thinking about an everyday object?
• How can this activity help us think about how to be creative with our ideas in general?
• Can imagination or creativity be used to address other problems or situations in everyday life?

The topics of this publication: creativity, imagination, brainstorming