In a recent article in Newsweek, “The Creativity Crisis,” it is reported that for the first time American creativity scores are declining. Children have been tested for creativity and then followed by scholars to see if there is a link between original scores and future proof of creativity lived out in their adult accomplishments. According to the article, “the accepted definition of creativity is production of something original and useful.” Professor Paul Torrence uses a creativity index to predict kids’ creative accomplishments as adults–artists, entrepreneurs, etc. He found that “the correlation to lifetime creative accomplishment was more than three times stronger for childhood creativity than childhood IQ.”
So are our kids destined to be less creative adults since our kids’ scores are declining? How can we encourage more creativity?
I work with parents every day, encouraging them to provide great toys and open-ended props for play–a blank cardboard box and markers, a scarf, a stick or a Kleenex box. I love when I come to a home and am greeted by a child in a home-made costume by the child himself. Duncan had watched a TV show about a disc jockey and had a Kleenex box taped to a belt around his waist, which was his boom box. Yesterday I was with Christopher who loves Toy Story characters and looked at me in the middle of play and said, “We need the rocket!” He went over to the dining table and brought back a lantern that he unlatched to open and let Buzz and Woody in for a ride!
If parents allow kids to have more unstructured time, give them some props and even play a little along side them to get the play going, we may see some creativity scores on the rise.
Many times our goal in speech therapy is for children to learn to build stories, adding details, descriptive words and generating a beginning, middle and end. We can use picture cards, photographs, objects and now “Rory’s Story Cubes” to generate ideas as kids add to their stories. Here is my review:
Kids love to roll dice–now they can toss nine picture cubes with clever images on each of the six sides and tell a story using the face up images. Set a theme ahead of time–”On our vacation we…” or just take turns adding to the story. The creative fun begins when kids choose a cube’s picture and start the story, interpreting the drawing as a concrete object or a more abstract concept. Kids chose the flashlight to continue their story on a more concrete level–”He grabbed the flashlight for the walk in the woods,” or to represent a more abstract concept–”The power went out.” The image of a hand represented “strength,” the cartoon bubble became “He had an idea,” and the eye conjured up “a three-eye alien.” There was no limit to the ingenuity that these cubes elicited. It was fun to sit back and watch childrens’ minds create. Many of the drawings are slightly obscure so a child can extrapolate as the abacus became a fence or a door and a co-centric series of arrows became a compass. With 54 possible images to use, there is unlimited potential for creative language learning with Rory’s Story Cubes. I have successfully used this storytelling game with kids younger than the recommended age of 8, and even had fun with kids on the autism spectrum as they learn to be more flexible and abstract with language.
Recommended age: 8 and up although younger kids can play
The opinions expressed are soley those of the author. “Rory’s Story Cubes” were provided for review by Gamewright.
It’s exciting watching kids assemble their new school supplies, get their backpacks together and compare who is in what class. Some of my friends are teary as they launch their college kids and prepare to drop them off and return to a slightly empty house.
Speech therapists and teachers have been busy preparing their rooms, lists, and making schedules. When I was working in the schools for 20 years, the first two weeks were crazy–finding kids, making a schedule and changing it multiple times. I feel for all of you who are in the throws of that right now. It’s funny, even in private practice, I have to make a whole new schedule at the beginning of each summer and each school year, so I don’t even escape that. At least I don’t have schedule around gym, art and music classes!
As a private therapist I have a unique opportunity to coordinate with classroom teachers and therapists at a child’s schoool. I have several children whom I see every few weeks at their nursery school to communicate goals and progress with teachers. This fall I am waiting a few weeks for kids to get adjusted and then will go into their preschool classes and assess whether their language skills are carrying over into the classroom. Often with preschool children, they might offer more language and seem more advanced in an individual session than when they are in a group setting of peers and adults. I worked with one child from 2-3 years of age and as his language improved, he still didn’t apply his skills in talking with peers. I ended up working with him in his preschool setting to prompt his interactions with peers. For some reason he was very comfortable engaging with the adults, “Sherry, your orange purse is on the table.” By the end of summer camp, he was starting to initiate dialogue with peers and I was able to dismiss him.
Back to school means many things, but for me it means I have another venue in which to watch and assess a child where he is comfortable and among familiar peers and adults. I just have to wait a little while until he is adjusted and it feels like home.
I was at a planning meeting this week with a team that I collaborate with as a private speech pathologist. My client is on the autism spectrum and I had just completed a diagnostic evaluation. I shared my results of language testing and talked about what I learned from observing his behaviors during the tasks. One one test, the first portion gave a field of four drawings to chose the answer from. During the second half there were no visual cues to help him with his answer. He got every item wrong after the visual cues were not given.
On the concepts section of the test, he failed several items that I know he knew in other contexts. It was hard for him to pick out the correct line drawing from a field of four that represented simple concepts.
After sharing these observations, the team started to develop goals for his upcoming year based on the testing. One of the members of the team said, “Well, we don’t want to teach to a test but I think we should teach him test taking skills–how to scan several pictures for an answer, how to listen to a paragraph and stay focused to answer a question, and how to be more familiar with two dimensional drawings for his answers.
I thought that was a great point. Many children with special needs will be tested at least yearly to determine progress and goals. How helpful for them to learn strategies like, “Look at all the pictures and then pick the one that answers the question.”
Children with Language learning disabilities benefit from reading and discussing good literature.
Yesterday I read, Peter’s Place by Sally Grindley–a beautifully illustrated story about a young boy who’s place is his clifftop home above the ocean. He befriends the birds and animals but his world changes when an oil tanker crashes into the cliff one night, spilling the black oil everywhere. The story is filled with great vocabulary–”ravaged cliff face,” “turbulent ocean,” and “snug in their haven.” There are many opportunities to discuss inference and explain figurative language. Here are the segments from the book and a 10 year-old’s responses:
“seals and otters played and feasted on the sea’s riches”
They had a lot of good food in the sea.
The animals were “snug in their haven”
The animals were comfortable in their homes
“Leaving the tanker to fight its own battle”
The tanker couldn’t steer and had to fight the ocean.
“The seal’s once soft gray fur, now matted with oil, could no longer hold in its body’s warmth.” He will get cold, sick or maybe die.
“A guillemot plucked furiously at its matted feathers, poisoning itself.”
He is poisoning himself by eating the oil.
Why did the oil keep it from flying?
The oil keeps it from flying because the oil is heavy so the bird can’t fly.
Why is Peter crying?
Because many of his birds can’t fly and he loved the ducks.
“Peter marvels at the birds’ survival.”
He is amazed how the birds stayed alive through the oil spill.
“Between the rocks are ugly black scars that can never be washed away.”
Between the rocks, there is some oil that they can’t get off and it reminds them of what happened.
Compare Compare before and after the oil spill:
· Before the spill, the birds flew easily and after the spill the birds couldn’t fly because the oil got into the feathers and it would be heavy to fly
· Before the spill, the cliff was pretty and after the spill, the cliff was ravaged with oil
· Before the spill, the sky was nice and cool and after the spill, the sky was dark
· Before the spill, the water was calm and blue, pink and purple. After the spill, the water had oil in it and it was pitch black
· Before the spill, Peter enjoyed the free time with the birds, calling to them. After the spill, Peter was anxious because his favorite place was ravaged.
· Before the spill, people were fishing but after the spill, people were saving birds and animals
· Before the spill, the tanker was way out in the far ocean and after the spill, the tanker was up close and destroyed
Summarize the whole book:
This book is about a boy who loved a place which got destroyed by a tanker and oil spill and how he saved many bird’s lives.
When I find a book I really like for using with my speech and language special needs kids, I usually see what else that author has written.
My journey with author and illustrator Valerie Gorbachev, began when I grabbed Red Red Red from the library. It was a prefect book to use with a language delayed child as well as a child on the autism spectrum–the illustrations were colorful and simple, the story was engaging but not complicated, and there was a simple action on each page that invited wh-questions. Turtle is in a hurry to find something read and as a result, all the friendly forest animals start a line behind him guessing what could be his red prize–maybe racoon’s roses, goat’s red socks, fox’s red roof or a firefighter’s truck. This little parade of animals finally arrives at Turtle’s destination, a beautiful red sunset. The book lends itself to prediction questions, why? questions, brainstorming other red items and descriptions.
In Chicken Chickens Go To School, our little chicks are a bit timid about their first day at school. As they venture toward friendship by saying hello to classmates, they are stopped with a “Sssssssh” from Beaver, Rabbit and Frog who are busy making a tower, listening to a story and trying to sing respectively. These responses lend themselves to talking about emotions and brainstorming on what the chicken’s might do to gain a friend. Finally, during a trip to the meadow, the chicks are faced with crossing the stream alone. Guess which 3 animals offer assistance? Again, before reading the page, ask your child to predict how the animals might help the chicks get across. Talking about the beginning, middle and end and how the characters changed is a good activity for sequence and memory.
Chicken Chickens introduces the chicks to their first day at a playground. All the fun action drawings are great for description–mother hen rocking her babies, the pigs swirling on the merry-go-round, and the cats swinging high. Talk about cause-effect in regard to the chickens’ fear of each piece of equipment. They might get dizzy on the merry-go-round or fall off the swings. Finally, let’s solve the problem of their fear of the slide. How could the different animals help them down? What could they say to the chickens? How did Beaver solve the problem?
Other favorites are:
The Big Trip
That’s What Friends Are For
What authors of picture books do you like for using with kids with special needs? Let’s get a list going to help others.
Some kids work harder in a less structured setting, moving and learning as they go. Summer is a great opportunity to take these kids outside to explore and work on speech and language goals on the move.
My friend, Nathan, is such a kid. He is so happy to explore, expecially with Duke, my dog, and will practice his articulation, language structures, answering questions and following directions best in a less restricted environment.
Last week we discovered that when we walked down to the creek to view water bugs and look for frogs, we actually found little tree frogs hopping out of the leaves under our feet. We could only detect them from their movement but managed to catch one in a cup and watch him climb out. Our next outing was the pond. No frogs there but 
we identified cattails, and were visited by a beautiful butterfly who followed us along the edge of the pond. We spotted an elegant egret and family of geese.
When we returned we wrote Mom an e-mail letter, including pictures of our outings. Nathan had to supply the words under each picture to recall what we had done. This is hard for him but with the visual cue, it was made easier.
Honestly, it’s fun for me to get a change of scenery too.
I think speech therapy should always be fun but in the summer it should have an element of freedom, away from the classroom. I take kids outside and look for frogs, explore a creek, or create art work related to books.
Brooke and I have been reading Action Jackson, by Greenberg and Jordan, the story of the artist, Jackson Pollock. We used the story to teach inference, summarizing, abstract language, and description:
“Why do you think he likes musicians who improvise and invent their own melodies?”
What does, “He stops and a pool of paint pauses” mean?
Why does he need a break?
What does “Energy and motion made visible” mean?
What does, “Things get in the way of the flow, like roots blocking a soil line” mean?
Why is he called “Action Jackson?”
After reading the book, we decided to try to paint a picture like Pollock. It looked like it would be easy but we discovered a few things. After completing her masterpiece, Brooke used a graphic organizer to tell about her experience beginning with:
- why we did the painting
- the steps in the process
- the two methods she used (squeezing tubes of paint, and flinging with a spoon)
- what method was easier and more fun
- summary statement
We wanted to paint outside but it started to rain so we went in my garage to paint. First we laid out the newspapers and put the canvas on top. Our paints were in a tube.
We tried two methods of painting like Action Jackson. The first one was squirting the whole tube all over the canvas that made big, thick, long, curvy lines. You had to keep squeezing the tube and moving along so the line would go on forever, or else it would make globs.
Our second method was flinging the paint. We squeezed part of a tube into the red cup and used a fork or spoon to dip into the cup and fling the paint. It is easier to do up close because you get thin, curvy lines but if you stood up you would get a big glob.
The most fun part about doing this project was flinging the paint because it would get messy and it flew across the garage! The easier method was the squirting because the paint would go where you wanted it to go. With flinging the paint goes all over the picture.
When you read the book, Action Jackson, you think his method of painting is easy because he just drips paint, but when you actually do the project it is hard because the paint doesn’t go where you want it to go. I could see how difficult painting like Jackson Pollock was.
See what happens when you combine speech therapy and art?
Here is a copy of my newsletter in case you aren’t on the distribution list:Wow, Toy Story 3 has only been out a few weeks and I am seeing products everywhere. I even went to the grocery store and saw Toy Story cookies and cakes. How do parents sift through all the offerings and get toys that will have staying power and encourage an afternoon of play? What toys can children with special needs use to encourage language development? Here are some of my recommendations to start your child telling their own story:
Buzz, Woody and other poseable figures: Probably the most flexible toy for play are the figures. After seeing the movie, I have watched my little friends clutch the figures and take them everywhere they went–the beach, grocery store, park and of course, nap. Buzz and Woody saved the day, rode in cars, went to a Play-doh beach, and camping. The figures represent a persona that the kids can activate, using dialogue and building their language skills.
“Toy Story Ultra Blast Gauntlet:” Little Buzzes strap on their wrist blaster, press the red laser button and surprise–a triple shooter with side weapons pops up, ready for action. Equipped with 5 darts with suction tips, a sight scope, and laser blasting sound effects, this space weapon will scare any alien. Pull on the purple ring and your weapon snaps back in place, ready for the next battle. The darts project far, so take care in setting up rules for use.
I kept being surprised by kids rounding the corner and setting off the laser zapping noise. Intended for kids 5 years and up, this toy can be adapted to the younger three and four-year old if you remove the darts. There was plenty of fun for preschoolers, just pushing the red button and acting out Buzz’s amazing feats. Again, pretend play builds creative thinking, story telling and language. (Age 5 and up)
“Toy Story 3 Action Link Stunt Sets”: At first I wondered if these “links” of action that can be mixed and matched were open-ended enough for repeated play, but kids convinced me otherwise. I tried out “Jessie to the Rescue,” “Buzz Saves The Train,” and “Junkyard Escape.” Set Jessie loose on her scooter and she hits the railroad sign, which flips open the sides of the train car. Attach the 
next set and as the runaway train falls into the canyon, and Buzz flies to the rescue. The garbage set lets Woody ride the conveyor belt and tosses Lotso from the the garbage tower to set off the stunts in this set. Kids quickly learned that the stunts can be connected in a different order before activating the chain reaction. After completing our first run through, a five-year-old boy said to me, “Do you mix it up? I wanna mix the whole thing up!” He even realized that some reactions were quicker and some slower (the conveyor belt) and designed the order so things didn’t happen too fast at the start. Note: the garbage set does not include all the characters to complete the stunts. Adding extra Buddy Pack Figures will enrich play as children have more opportunities to animate characters and expand their story.The trick is getting the links set up and pieces cocked before someone accidentally pushes a blue button and starts the action! (Age 5 and up)
“Toy Story the Great Train Chase” by Lego Duplo:All aboard for some fun with Duplo’s chunky figures–Buzz, Woody and Jessie–as they save the day. With movable and interchangeable parts, this set continues to offer new play options. The tops of the train cars swing open so Woody and gang can peer out or sit down. Combine this theme with more Lego blocks and make the houses, a train station or deli for a snack. There is unlimited fun and opportunity to be creative and build language skills. (Age 2-5 years)
Buzz Lightyear Costume: Children feel empowered when they put on a costume an assume the role of a hero, like Buzz. This costume designed for toddlers, lets the little siblings get right into the act, re-
living the story and becoming fearless as they save the day. Buzz’s costume was slipped on first thing in the morning over pajamas! When I saw my little friend breeze by, I pressed his red button and Will’s arms shot up, ready for takeoff “to infinity and beyond!” Comfortable for takeoffs and landings, this costume took a little boy through rescues and adventures, tumbles and flights.
The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “The figures, Ultra Blast Gauntlet, and Action Links” were provided for review by Mattel. “Buzz Lightyear costume” was provided by Jakks Pacific.
