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We all need to be rejuvenated sometimes. The following ideas can help you spark creativity during team meetings or throughout the day. Consider whether you could use any of these ideas to help adults feel creative and energetic.

1. Guess What It Is:  Visit a kitchen or home improvement store website. Download a picture of an unfamiliar gadget. Have staff members write down what they think it is and how they think it’s used.

2. Inventor:  Leave a collection of Legos and other materials on a table in the staff room. Post a sign that says, “Design your ideal center/home/playground, etc.” Encourage staff to take a few minutes to add ideas to a common structure.

3. Designing Spaces:  Encourage staff members to sign up in teams to decorate a common area in the program. Perhaps it is the resource library, a bulletin board, the staff training area, or even the staff restroom. Encourage complete creativity to transform the spaces temporarily. Perhaps the training area becomes a tiki lounge or the restroom becomes a luxury spa. Provide simple materials like craft paper and encourage staff to bring in other props from home. This can be as simple as decorating a monthly birthday bulletin board for staff or as complex as designing a themed workspace.

4. Art Museum:  Post a picture or poster of an interesting sculpture, painting, or quilt. Hang a sign that says, “What Do You See?” and leave post-its nearby for staff members to write their ideas.

5. Staff “Pinterest”:  Develop a system for sharing good ideas amongst your team. This can be online (such as on Pinterest) or by using an old-fashioned bulletin board. Nominate staff (or encourage staff to nominate one another) to share great ideas visually. Have them take photos of a fun activity they did in the classroom, a new recipe they tried with the kids, or a successful filing system. Recruit volunteers who like decorating or visual design to help make the display attractive. Show off your program’s success!