Toca Magazine by Toca Boca

Vol. 1, Issue 1

Editor’s Note

Meet Five Inspiring, Creative Kids One thing they have in common: They’re all well-rounded kids.

Want your kids to be creators, not just consumers? Start with these tech tools.

Kid’s-Eye View

Embrace Yourself!

Teen dancer shares her perspective on creativity.

Toca Spotlight

The Evolution of Toca Dance Go behind the scenes and find out how we made our latest app.

Toca Spotlight

Toca Blocks

Toca Blocks is a unique world-building app that lets you play in the worlds you craft.

Dance Dynamos

The Hatala sisters get inspired by music—and each other.

Building Blocks in the Digital World

No, Technology Isn't Robbing Your Kid of Creativity

Imagine Dragons...and People and Worlds

Ditch the Rules

Fabulous Fabrication

Digital Life with Randy Kulman, Ph.D.

In fact, your kid may just be more creative than you are.

15 Top-Notch Creative Tools

Get four essential tips for raising creative thinkers.

Toca Family Fun

Youth Club Mayhem!

Help Toca Life: School characters find their missing items.

Why Consume When You Can Create?

Find out four reasons for kids to build with digital toys.

Imaginative play in early childhood could be the key to creativity in adulthood.

New high-tech maker space offers hands-on learning to kids as young as 3.

Toca Team

Daniel Abensour

Get to know Daniel Abensour, lead artist on the Toca Life team.

On the cover: Taylor and Reese Hatala

Technology gives kids opportunities their parents only dreamed of.

Ingrid Simone

Sebastien Roux

Andrew Lovold

Sherry Shen

Jonas Carlsson

Angelica Rabang

Amanda Bindel

Dana Villamagna

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR

PRODUCER

MARKETING DIRECTOR

VICE PRESIDENT, BRAND & MARKETING

DESIGNER

WRITER

COPY EDITOR

The Creativity Issue

Toca Magazine

Editor’s Note

Welcome to Toca Magazine! We’ve decided to bring Toca Boca’s online magazine for parents to the print world. If you’re not yet familiar with Toca Boca, we’re a play studio that makes apps for kids. Toca Boca is the No. 1 mobile-first kids’ brand in the App Store with 32 apps and counting. We launched TocaMagazine.com in 2014 to connect with parents on topics that matter to us: kids, family and the power of play. In our debut print issue, we’re focusing on a topic that matters to us all: creativity. We understand that creativity is important for the future—you’ll read more about that on page 26. But in a changing world, what does creativity look like? What impact does technology

have on kids’ creativity? And how can parents recognize and nurture this superpower in their kids? These are questions we asked ourselves for this issue. To find the answers, we talked to the childhood experts you’d expect—adults—as well as some childhood experts you might not expect—kids themselves. In fact, one of our primary goals at Toca Magazine is to share kids’ perspectives on the world and their everyday lives. Kids are people with their own views on everything, and when we listen, we learn. We think you’ll see a bit of your own kids in some of the kids we talked with for this issue. I certainly did. My daughter is a talented visual artist—a traditional form of creativity that is fairly easy to recognize and support. My son expresses

we understand that creativity is important for the future

his creative strengths differently, and in ways that didn’t even exist when I was a kid (Minecraft, anyone?). We hope the stories in this issue will inspire you to keep supporting your own child’s creativity, however it manifests. For more from Toca Magazine, visit TocaMagazine.com. To learn more about Toca Boca and our apps, visit TocaBoca.com. And email us at magazine@ tocaboca.com with questions, comments and feedback. Thank you for checking us out—we think you’ll like what we’re about. Ingrid Simone

About Toca Boca: We believe in the power of play to spark kids’ imaginations and help them learn about the world. We’re an award-winning play studio that makes digital toys for kids, from the kids’ perspective. Our apps give kids fun, open-ended, gender-neutral play experiences with no third-party ads. Toca Boca © 2016 — 848 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 — www.tocaboca.com — Send questions, comments or ideas to magazine@tocaboca.com

One thing they have in common: They’re all well-rounded. By Amanda Bindel

We know kids are creative. For some kids, talent and opportunity collide to give them unique chances to share their creativity with the world. Toca Magazine talked to five creative kids to find out more about their lives and their creativity. While each is as unique as their creative outlet, they did have a few things in common.

They’re creative in multiple domains. Though each has one focus that has brought them into the public eye, they have varied interests and passions and continue to develop them all.

Age doesn’t matter. “I find

that people with the same interests have a lot to talk about regardless of the age difference,” 14-year-old college student Isabella Rose Taylor said. A 16-yearold business owner agrees: “My

Isabella Rose Taylor, 14 Fashion Designer and Artist Isabella Rose Taylor is an allaround creative kid. She’s an artist, a writer, a member of Mensa—and a college student. While she’s based in Austin, her work and studies take her coast to coast on a regular basis. Her fashion line is sold online and at Nordstrom. What’s a typical day for you? My schedule is very busy, and I am continually tweaking it to make sure it is manageable. It is a balancing act to juggle school, designing clothes for my clothing line, having time to paint/sketch, and hanging out with friends. I think my life is like any other 14-year-old kid. I have school, and then there is what I do after school (design clothes, paint). Many of my friends have after-school activities and are very busy.

parents and I have learned that age disappears when people who are passionate about technology talk with each other,” Thomas Suarez said.

They’re kids. Even with

schedules filled with running creative businesses or creative endeavors, they ride bikes, play with siblings and hang out with friends.

What’s college life like, being younger than the typical student? I spend time with my friends, who are really good at what they love to do. We do the typical things most teenage girls do—we go to the movies, go shopping, listen to music, or just plain hang out and talk. What advice do you have for creative kids? Learn as much as you can. Ask for help. Seek out mentors. You will be surprised at how many people want to help you!

The Creativity Issue

Meet Five Creative, Inspiring Kids

Toca Magazine Are you creative in other ways beyond inventing/designing apps and technology? I enjoy playing guitar, making videos and short movies with my friends, photography and finding new ways of taking and presenting pictures. I also enjoy writing, doing special effects and videoing technology reviews for the Tribeca Film Festival. When I have spare time, I sometimes do contract work for a local video company where I take raw footage, edit it, create necessary special effects, and find, purchase and incorporate appropriate music into the video. It’s fun to create a short video from hours of raw footage and know the work is appreciated!

Thomas Suarez, 16 App Developer Thomas Suarez has nine years of programming experience—and he’s only 16. He taught himself to code when he was 7 and is now chief engineer of his own technology company, CarrotCorp, which makes apps and 3-D printing software. His TEDtalk about kids teaching kids to program is one of the most-viewed TEDtalks in history. What's a typical day for you? While I’m not an early bird (I usually work late at night), I wake up at 6:30 a.m. to go to school. While eating breakfast, I review Twitter and The Verge for tech news. I start school at 8:00 a.m., and finish at 3:00 p.m. When I arrive home, I work on my current software and hardware projects, play guitar and go biking with friends. After dinner, I do my homework and continue working on projects. Periodically throughout the day, I check tech news and open-source projects. Sometimes I like to jump on Skype or Google Hangouts with my friends and play games.

my parents have created a home environment that allows both my brothers and me to pursue our interests

How have your parents nurtured and encouraged your creativity? My parents have created a home environment that allows both my brothers and me to pursue our interests. For me it’s technology. For my younger brother, it’s military history, painting lead soldiers representing different time periods and battles, and for my youngest brother it’s sports. When I was younger, my parents would try to find events that I might be interested in. As I became older and able to find the technology events, activities and hardware, etc. which fascinated me, my parents would help me go to the events and work on the activities. My parents have never pushed me into technology events or to participate in activities which did not interest me. When offered money to appear on a TV show or in a commercial, or to give a speech, if I didn’t want to participate, my parents always supported my decision. I believe this has helped keep me focused in technology. What advice do you have for younger kids who have a passion for creating? Find your passion, pursue it and don’t listen to people who give you negative feedback that isn’t constructive. Find like-minded, positive thinking friends or peers and collaborate. There are excellent places for young makers to learn and thrive, such as Adafruit and Github. Keep in mind that failure is just success in a different context. If you have passion and curiosity and believe in your project, you will succeed!

Photos: Isabella, courtesy of Cesar Taylor; Thomas, courtesy of Thomas Suarez

The Creativity Issue

Laila Abumahfouz, 8 Artist Elementary student Laila Abumahfouz’s visual art and photography has been recognized at the national level, winning an Award of Excellence from the National PTA. She traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive recognition. How are you creative? I’m creative in art because every time I’m about to start drawing I first imagine what it would look like and how it is related to the theme I choose. What inspires you? A lot of things inspire me: the sunshine, rainbows with bright colors and reading. Reading inspires me because when I am starting to read, I imagine that I am in the story, and that makes me have a wider imagination.

How have your parents supported your creativity? My mom loves art. She spends a lot of time with me teaching me how to use the colors and sometimes takes me outside to enjoy the beauty of nature that is full of bright colors, butterflies, birds, flowers, trees and more. She comes to my school to encourage people to draw and paint. What's a typical day for you? On weekends, I like to wake up earlier than my parents and two sisters. I fix my bed and start reading books while my cat is sitting next to me. After having breakfast with my family, we go driving around the neighborhood, or sometimes we go downtown where we like to walk. After going back home, I check my homework and I get ready for the next day. In the evening, I like to draw what inspired me that day.

Cory Nieves, 11 CEO of Mr. Cory’s Cookies It all started in 2009 when, tired of taking the bus, Cory Nieves decided to buy his mother a car. The fact that he was only 5? Didn’t faze him. He decided he would sell hot cocoa to raise the money. He had a hit on his hands, and his mom encouraged him to keep selling to save for college. Soon he expanded to lemonade and cookies—all natural cookies made with high-quality ingredients. Today he and his mother, Lisa Howard, run Mr. Cory’s Cookies. Cory has also competed on MasterChef Jr. and appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View and more! What's a typical day for you? I wake up and thank God for the day, watch Good Day New York and check my business reports. I go to school, then work on business stuff. Besides your creativity in the kitchen and in running your business, how else are you creative? I like to draw, play violin and golf, participate in tae kwon do and read business books. It helps with my creativeness.

What advice do you have for other creative kids who have a big idea? Never give up on your idea! Dream six impossible things before you wake up. Cherish your ideas.

Toca Magazine

Jerimya Reyes Corpus, 11 YouTube Filmmaker Jerimya “Mya” Reyes Corpus created her first YouTube video, a how-to for making homemade playdough, when she was 8 years old. After positive comments, she went on to create more instructional videos, including a how-to-beat-box video that went viral. Her videos caught the eye of PBS Parents, which now sponsors her channel, FullTimeKid. Where do you get your ideas for your shows? Since we don't have cable TV at our house, I spend a good amount of time online. Whenever I come across something interesting, I ask my parents if we can make a video about it. Also, some fans have cool video requests that I keep in mind. What's a typical day for you? I live a pretty normal life. On weekdays, I wake up and go to school.

After school, I do homework and go to any practices I might have (volleyball, basketball, dance). When I'm home, I'm usually helping my parents take care of my four younger siblings. In my free time, I'm usually watching YouTube or playing online computer games with my friends like Minecraft (we have our own server!) and Roblox. On nonschool days is when I try to make videos. Sometimes it's hard to find time to make them because I'm usually going out to a social function like family parties on weekends and holidays. How are you creative? Since I was little, my parents have always encouraged me to be a producer and not just a consumer. So I like to write poems, make up songs that I sing to my little brothers and sisters, create dance moves, try out new recipes, follow crafting tutorials and things like that. Thanks to the Internet, I can share some of these experiences online to a worldwide audience. When I get positive feedback from viewers, it inspires me to continue trying out new and interesting things.

Photos: Laila, courtesy of Ala Alqawasmeh; Cory, by Karen Seiger; Jerimya, courtesy of Arneil deVera

Toca Spotlight

The Creativity Issue

The Evolution of Toca Dance Go behind the scenes and find out how we made our latest app.

The idea

of a dance app has been around ever since we started Toca Boca. Now, thanks to an amazing team working together, we finally made one with Toca Dance! We try to come up with original ideas that can be used as tools to be creative. Dancing is an interesting form of creativity, as you use your body to express your mood and feelings. We couldn’t find any cool dance apps where you got to create your own dance in any of the app stores, so we figured we had to come up with something new.

By Emil Ovemar

March 2015: Our first prototype Toca Dance started quite simply as a loop. In this simple prototype, you saw a triangle at the bottom, and when you touched a hand or a foot, you’d record move data for that specific limb. We used a character we made for Toca Ragdoll—an app that we prototyped but eventually decided to scrap. In this phase, we decided that Toca Dance would work as a sequencer for dancing, and that a video would be the creative output from the experience: • Sequencer for dancing • Create a dance video • Dress up your characters • Teach them moves • Perform and record on stage

August 2015: A one-room experience By August, the app was starting to take shape. At that point, it was only a one-room experience: You would drag the characters up from sort of a sidewalk and place them anywhere you wanted, like on a cardboard box dance surface. That’s where you added their moves. You could move the body, move the limbs, and have the characters perform all the moves. At this stage, all the characters had different moves. In our play testing with kids we learned this was confusing. The takeaway for us was that it was a little bit unfocused, that kids

didn’t necessarily know what to do because you could basically do everything at the same time. The app didn’t communicate how you should play with it or what the context was, and the dancing theme wasn’t as strong as it could be.

September 2015: Reboot In September we had a bit of a reboot.

Updated vision. We decided

that we should focus on the humor. We also wanted it to have more of a homemade feel—not too professional or too glittery. Not like American Idol. We found inspiration in the work of filmmaker Michel Gondry.

Toca Magazine We also added a backstory that this club had opened up in town where dance performances were happening in sort of a community building or school-inspired building.

Linear flow. We decided to

have more of a linear flow instead of being able to do everything at once. We divided the experience up into separate rooms, where each room would have its own focus: • Room 1/Posters: Select characters • Room 2/Costume closet: Style characters • Room 3/Practice room: Choreograph the moves • Room 4/Stage: Choose effects, perform and record video I was a bit hesitant to introduce the linear flow because instinctively, compared to the previous version, it felt a bit slower to move between the rooms and

change characters. But the more we worked with it, it became an easy way for each specific room to communicate how you would use that room. I’m happy with the linear flow, and I hope that in the end, we figured out the best way to make this experience more understandable and tangible for kids.

Synchronized dancing.

Instead having all the dancers doing different dances, they all dance the same dance, which eventually led us to create an instructor as an additional character and all of the main characters mimicking the instructor.

Horizontal movements. We

introduced horizontal movements so you could then move the characters sideways. But to be able to do that, we compromised on the ability to move the feet around. Down the line we’ll

see if we can make a combination of controlling the feet and doing horizontal movements.

Reworked GUI. We reworked

the Graphical User Interface, especially on stage. There, instead of touching the characters, you control the effects.

we decided that they should all have a strong silhouette so you can identify them without even seeing the colors. That explains some of why we have very particular head shapes or hairdos for these characters. We’ll add more characters in future updates.

Wardrobe decision. All

The music. Håkan Lidbo com-

characters can wear the same clothes if you decide to put them on over their original clothing. I think that was a good suggestion from the team for how to make the characters customizable in a quick way, instead of modeling all the different clothing. Eventually, we were able to create a lot of assets that all the characters can use instead of being forced to limit the amount of outfits. That was an important decision to add as much customization as possible without taking too much time.

Collaboration, characters and more The look. We enjoyed working

with Swedish graffiti artist Finsta. He was part of creating the look and feel of the app by designing the logo, the backdrops and the character posters.

posed all the songs for the app. What is great is that the songs all have the same tempo, so if you switch songs your dance still works. The album covers were designed by our very own Toca Boca artists. That's how we made Toca Dance. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we do. We're gonna add a lot of fun things in future updates; please let us know how you think we can improve Toca Dance. We love hearing what you think! Emil Ovemar is executive producer and co-founder at Toca Boca.

Get Toca Dance now. Find out more at: tocaboca.com/app/ toca-dance

The characters. One important aspect of why these characters look like they do is that

The Hatala Sisters get inspired by music—and each other. By Ingrid Simone

Taylor Hatala, age 12 Reese Hatala, age 9 They’re from Alberta, Canada. They both started dancing at age 3. Their favorite artists of all time are Beyonce, Missy Elliott and Taylor Swift. “We are obsessed with them!” says Taylor.

The Creativity Issue

Dance Dynamos

Toca Magazine

Sisters Taylor and Reese Hatala positively exude creativity. The talented tweens have more than 15 years of dance experience between them, and big sister Taylor has appeared in viral dance videos, performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and toured with Janet Jackson. Toca Magazine asked them about their lives as young dancers.

Taylor, you’ve been dancing from a really young age. When did you realize that you had a special talent and that dance would be more than just a hobby for you?

Taylor: I was around 6 years old

when I did my very first hip-hop solo. I had already been dancing for three years, but I had just started hip-hop, and I was super nervous to go on stage. As soon as I got out there, I knew that this was more than just a hobby. I fell in love with dance.

Taylor and Reese made an amazing video for Toca Dance—it’s a sister dance party! Watch it:

At age 11 is when I like to think of I got the amazing my choreo as my opportunity—from freestyle, so that bit.ly/Taylor_ a viral video—to way there’s more Reese_TocaDance perform on The Ellen creativity involved DeGeneres Show. It in it. was the biggest turning point in my career. Ever since then, I’ve I’ll usually listen to the song days been working in the industry. It’s or even weeks before, so I kind been a blessing. of have an idea of what I want to choreograph. And so from Reese, you also started dancthere it just kind of takes off. It’s ing really young! It must be a natural process that you can’t great to have a big sister to really create a routine to. look up to in dance. Does she inspire you? Taylor and Reese, what advice would you give to parents who have super-talented kids who Reese: I started when I was want to do big things? How about 3 years old. I was doing can they best support them? competitive gymnastics and dancing at the same time. Around 8, I knew I wanted to Reese: Always believe in pursue dancing, so I only did your kid. dancing—seven days a week. My sister is an inspiration to me beTaylor: Yeah, in any general circause she always pushes herself cumstance, the best thing that and works hard. parents can do is to believe in their children. Because with that, Taylor, we know you work with they can go anywhere. Even if amazing choreographers, but you can’t afford to fly to L.A. you also do your own choreand be a part of the industry, as ography. What is your creative long as you believe in your kids, process like? they can go anywhere and reach for their dreams and goals. And Taylor: First, I have to find a knowing that your parents are song that I am in love with. That proud of you is the best feeling way, the movements come more in the whole world. naturally to me. After that, as long as I have an open space so my movements aren’t limited, I think it just goes from there.

Photos courtesy of Teresa Hatala

Digital Life

In fact, your kid may just be more creative than you are. By Randy Kulman, Ph.D.

Many social critics express alarm about 21st-century kids. Kids’ growing reliance upon technology for everything including learning and play, the critics warn, will hamper imagination and ingenuity. Can today’s kids deal with life’s many environmental, educational and socio-political stressors? My experience as a child psychologist gives me a different perspective. I have seen kids with more varied interests in the past decade than at any other time in the past. While there are kids who may spend a disproportionate amount of their time engaged in screenbased activities, I encounter

more who are captivated by activities like cooking, computer programming, video production, entrepreneurship, clothing design and other creative pursuits. I find myself wondering whether kids growing up in the digital age are actually more creative than kids from previous generations.

Should parents push practice—or play? It’s important to think about why this is and what parents can do (or not do) to encourage this creativity and playfulness. Adam Grant addresses these issues and others in an enlightening

New York Times article. In “How to Raise a Creative Child. Step One: Back Off,” Grant suggests that the most creative students are not necessarily those who are child prodigies or whose parents forced them to practice selected skills repeatedly. Instead, he notes that creativity is generally enhanced by a playful approach where learning is made fun and children are able to find their own values and interests. Grant asserts that creative kids are more likely to engage in a variety of play activities rather than focusing their efforts on just one hobby. “Nobel Prize winners,” he points out, com-

pared with other scientists, “are 22 times more likely to perform as actors, dancers or musicians, 12 times more likely to write poetry, plays or novels; seven times more likely to dabble in arts and crafts; and twice as likely to play an instrument or compose music.” From this perspective, play can be understood as more important than practice for innovation and problem solving. There is a commonly accepted rule derived from the research of psychologist Anders Ericsson, Ph.D. — recently popularized by Malcolm Gladwell — that spending 10,000 hours on a particular subject makes one an expert.

The Creativity Issue

No, Technology Isn’t Robbing Your Kid of Creativity

Toca Magazine

Ericsson’s original theory was that “deliberate practice” was more important than innate talent in “the acquisition of expert performance.” But there is some question as to whether expertise alone leads to innovation, advancement and creativity. In his New York Times article, Grant argues that creativity does not come from repeated practice but from opportunities to try out new things and to be engaged in a variety of activities. “Practice makes perfect,” he writes, “but it doesn't make new.”

doing or at least don’t take it too seriously, they are more likely to be enthusiastic, sustain attention and overcome frustration. Kids who are encouraged to engage in a variety of play activities are likely to display more creative expression.

Help kids find balance

With all that being said, in today’s highly competitive, digital world, there are incredible pressures on kids to succeed, as well as many powerful distractions that can take them away from the stressors of their daily life. Fewer rules, As kids enter their teens, some more creative kids strive to become “experts,” focusing on sports, musical Parenting styles play a role in talents or tech skills, while othenhancing creativity as well. ers turn to drugs or too much Grant describes a 1989 study passive screen time. Some kids (notably before the digital are driven to create a resume revolution) that found the most that will get them into the best creative kids came from families college, so they have little time that held up one basic rule rathleft for play. er than the average of six rules Other kids, less guided by found in less creative families. their parents, may focus too Grant proposes that having a much of their attention on a limited number of rules encourscreen and ignore the variety of ages kids to think play activities that on their own. leads to creativity These findings and better psychocan also be interA Place for Kids’ logical adjustment preted to suggest Creativity to and contentment. that kids who get Blossom as They Though Grant’s the opportunity to Learn 21st-Century article is informaSkills develop executive and enlighttive functioning, ening, rather than social-emotional tocaboca.com/ simply suggesting learning (SEL), and magazine/ that parents “back problem-solving diy-kidsoff,” perhaps skills are more likecreativity parents should ly to be creative. be encouraged to So, parents who exert some gentle won’t let their kids go outside guidance and modeling, to help or try something new out of fear kids find a healthy balance of for their safety may be inhibiting play and discipline in their life. their kids’ natural creativity.

Are video games and screen time harmful to promoting creativity in my child?

Open-ended digital games offer a vast landscape for creativity, problem-solving, goal setting and learning. In fact, if we compare the cognitive demands made upon a kid playing a single level board game, such as Monopoly or Risk, to an open-ended, sandbox game such as Toca Blocks or Minecraft, video games weigh in as the clear winner. Technology has added a new form of play— digital play—that has opened the doors for many new types of creativity. Whether creativity takes place in an open-ended sandbox game, through a desire to master new technologies, or by creating digital media such as videos, classroom presentations or photographs, there simply are more opportunities to create than in the previous generation.

DIY

Creativity requires risk, plain and simple, and it should be fun, energizing and voluntary. I would also argue that playfulness is crucial. When kids (or adults) are enjoying what they’re

Randy Kulman, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist and founder and CEO of LearningWorks for Kids.

The Creativity Issue

Ditch the Rules Get four essential tips for raising creative thinkers. By Amanda Bindel

Are kids born creative? Cognitive psychologist Dr. Mark Runco believes both nature and nurture play a role in creativity. “There is a genetic basis to creativity, but that just influences the range of potentials we each inherent. Each of us has the potential to be creative,” he said. “Nurture, families, education, culture, the media all have an enormous impact.” That impact, though, can hinder creativity or foster it. These four tips can help you nurture your kids’ creativity.

1. Let kids think for themselves. Want more creative kids? Have fewer rules. Authoritarian environments that don’t allow kids to think for themselves or ask questions are a creativity killer. Creativity is supported by environments that are flexible and allow autonomy, along with providing resources and respect, Runco said. Parents can help kids develop creatively by allowing them to make decisions for themselves and contribute their ideas to the family. They’ll develop problem-solving skills and resilience—learning from their mistakes. If given the freedom to choose creative outlets that match their passions, kids will be more motivated to invest the time necessary to really develop their talents than if the activity is chosen (and practice is pushed and directed) by a parent.

2. Give kids openended problems. Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson has been vocal about his criticism of the traditional school model, going so far as to say schools are killing creativity. Robinson, author of “Creative Schools,” believes that the factory model of schooling’s one-size-fits-all mentality that standardizes curriculum and testing is also standardizing our kids and stifling their creativity. Educational psychologist Dr. Joe Renzulli agrees. “Though tests do play a necessary role in our education system, solely emphasizing a one-right-answer environment is a creativity killer,” said Renzulli, who is a professor at the University of Connecticut and an expert in gifted education. There has to be a balance. Kids need the chance

kids need the chance to work with problems that don’t have one right answer

to work with problems that don’t have one right answer. They need to explore ideas that may not have a right answer at all. Parents can encourage this kind of open-ended thinking by providing kids with open-ended toys. “Instead of giving kids a puzzle or toy that can only be played one way, give them things where there's no right answer or existing solution. We want them to play with ideas.” Renzulli suggests having them design a game for their kitten to play, for example. There's not one right way to do it. They can use anything they want—tin cans or plastic bottles or cardboard boxes. And kids can choose their mode of expression—maybe they will draw the cat’s toy rather than build it. Parents can adapt this idea countless ways to promote creativity.

3. Encourage exploration of ideas and activities. Parents can encourage kids to try different activities—even if they aren’t good at them yet— to challenge themselves and possibly find new creative outlets. In the same vein, parents can support kids with an intense interest in further developing a focused creative talent by providing the resources for them to continue to grow. It’s important for parents to rein in any inclination within themselves to get pushy. Studies

show that intrinsic motivation fosters creativity, but extrinsic motivation hinders it. With external influences involved, kids may move into seeking that “right answer” rather than being truly creative.

4. Encourage divergent thinking. While there are many ways to be creative, divergent thinking encourages creativity and is great for kids regardless of their creative domain of choice. Parents can help kids develop creativity with some simple, onthe-go, no-supplies-necessary activities to promote divergent thinking. • Have them brainstorm all of the possible uses for a specific item, like an umbrella or a paper clip. Remember, there’s no right or wrong answer! • Play the “what if” game. Discuss what would happen in some outlandish scenario. What if cats could bark? Or what if it always rained on Saturday? • Examine stories and situations from multiple perspectives. Read a picture book together and then talk about how a different character would have told the story.

Toca Magazine Educational psychologist James Kaufman, Ph.D., developed a theory to explain creativity using the metaphor of an amusement park. To get into an amusement park, you have to have the ticket to gain entry, just as some level of intelligence, a motivation to be creative, and a supportive environment are the tickets to being creative. The different kinds of amusement parks—zoos, waterparks, theme parks and more—are like the different ways to be creative—art, music, problem-solving, divergent thinking and more. Once in a park, visitors can wait in line for different rides or attractions, and within creativity, kids can find many ways to be creative within different sets of skills—creative writers may write poems, novels, plays or short stories.

Is Your Kid a Creative Thinker? There’s a Test for That. You can have your kid assessed for creative thinking. But should you? By Amanda Bindel

Can creativity be measured? Parents impressed by their kids’ ideas and creations may wonder if they’re exceptionally creative, and kids can take tests that quantify creative thinking. The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, created by psychologist Dr. E. Paul Torrance, measure divergent thinking as an indicator of creativity. Administered by a licensed professional, the tests use pictures or words to measure characteristics that (depending on the test) may include:

• Fluency: how many ideas a kid can generate • Flexibility: the different categories of relevant ideas • Originality: how rare the ideas are • Elaboration: the amount of detail included The test with pictures also measures strengths in storytelling articulateness, humor, colorfulness of imagery and more. So, yes, creativity can be measured. But should parents have their kids’ creativity assessed? Dr. James Kaufman, professor at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education, doesn’t recommend it. Schools may want such data, he said, but he recommends that parents focus on providing creative opportunities for their kids. “Far better to encourage and nurture a child’s creativity than worry about where he or she places in a percentile,” he said.

Toca Family Fun

lost her

Get Toca Life: School now. Find out more at:

Things are going crazy in the youth club! A lot of things got lost in this joyful chaos. Can you help find them? Ask your kids if you need help.

tocaboca.com/app/ toca-life-school

lost his

got lost sneaking in!

Technology gives kids opportunities their parents only dreamed of. By Amanda Bindel

Kids today have easy access to some pretty amazing creation tools. Used correctly, technology can move kids from being consumers to creators—and the power is right at their fingertips. Many schools are working to get technology— iPads or other tablets, Chromebooks or other laptops—into all students’ hands through what’s called a 1:1 initiative, one device for every one student. Teachers and kids working with this kind of perpetual access are empowered to become creators every day. Jenni Rhea’s third-graders in Austin, Texas, are more engaged in the creative process because they can control their own learning. “Having 1:1 access allows them to be in the driver's seat,” she said. “They can pursue their passions, find answers to their questions and share their learning with the world in a variety of ways.” The technology isn’t the inspiration.

It’s a tool that allows them to express themselves creatively, she said. When kids have easy access to technology and are empowered to take risks and explore different ways to use the technology, they become makers. A generation ago, kids could dream of publishing a book or creating a polished and edited movie, but very few had the resources to actually do it. Now, every kid with a tablet filled with the right apps can produce creative works that rival professional-level productions. Ruth Cook, an elementary school librarian in Austin, knows creativity in kids is nothing new, but technology can help them realize their ideas and bring them to life. “Digital tools elevate the creative juices to a newer level,” she said. Just what can kids make with digital technology?

The Creativity Issue

Why Consume When You Can Create?

Toca Magazine

They can make tools.

They can make books. Book creation apps make publishing easy for kids. They can add images and customize features in their books. They can even add audio to create audiobooks. Kids can use other apps to create graphics or other custom features for their books—a technique called app smashing, which is when several apps are used in conjunction. Some apps, like Book Creator, allow kids to make their books available through iBooks or Google Play Books. Others let kids share books through social media. Tobie Rountree, a second-grade teacher in Austin, had her students make iBooks about holiday traditions. “They blew me away with what they produced,” she said. “But more importantly, they were so proud of the books they created and were able to share with their classmates and families. Each book is completely personalized and creative.”

With 3-D printers and design apps or websites, kids can make almost anything. August Deshais teaches kindergarten in Eureka, California, where he and his students have a 3-D printer in their classroom. They use it and programs like Tinkercad to create things they need in the classroom—like a recent project in which they made accessories for their playdough center. The kids made their own sphere, dull knife and rolling pin. “These are each rather unremarkable objects and readily available at the store, but in our classroom they are remarkable for the very reason that they didn't come from a store,” Deshais said.

They can make movies. Give kids a few minutes to explore iMovie, and they can create impressive movies, edited and blockbuster-worthy. The app is easy to use, and the templates allow kids to see fast results. Then kids can spend a little more time customizing to fully show off their creativity. Technology Specialist Cara Shipp describes it as a tool that doesn’t require much teacher assistance. “Having an easy-touse piece of technology like the iPad really made a difference (in kids’ creative productions).”

digital tools elevate the creative juices to a newer level

They can make games. Coding is the brain of the technology that makes these creative tools possible, and it can also be a tool that kids can use to create. Some coding apps and websites teach kids the logic of programming, while others allow them to program (and play) their own games. Scratch is a classroom favorite that kids love creating with at home, too. Erin Zaich, a teacher at AltSchool in San Francisco, appreciates that Scratch is accessible to all levels of students. “Students can push the bounds of the program while others can learn the basics,” she said. “Scratch allows students to learn the fundamentals of coding in a way that is accessible and engaging.” And it’s free!

They can make art. Digital tools take art to a totally new level. Celia Zamadics teaches art in Austin and uses iPads in addition to teaching traditional techniques. Students combine graphic arts with photography, sketching, painting and modeling. “I love to show them different art apps,” she said. “And eventually we can combine different apps to create a work of art.”

They can make mistakes. Zamadics has a quote from Esther Dyson hanging in her art room: “Always make new mistakes.” Technology, she said, makes mistakes easier to deal with, so kids are encouraged to take risks. “Our test-centric educational system has created children who are afraid to make mistakes,” she said. “Sadly, when you are afraid to make a mistake, you shy away from creativity. With technology, mistakes can be undone with a tap or swipe. “The fear factor is somewhat removed,” she said, so kids are empowered to make mistakes and take the risks that lead to creativity. Technology is powerful, and so is creativity. Put them together, and kids can soar. Give them the tools and freedom to find inspiration and direct their own learning. “You’ll be amazed at what they are able to do,” said Rhea.

TopNotch Creative Tools Want your kids to be creators, not just consumers? Start with these tech tools. By Ingrid Simone

Book Creation Tools Scribble Press Deluxe—Kids

get more than 300 drawing tools, plus backgrounds, stickers and more to tell their story. You can easily export your book as a PDF. It’s available for iPad and Android tablets. (Age 6 and up)

Book Creator—Kids can add

text, images, video, music and narration to their books. The app is available for iPad, Android tablets and Windows tablets, and authors can submit their finished books to Apple’s iBooks or Google Play Books. (Age 8 and up)

iBooks Author—Older kids will

love digging into iBooks Author to create interactive ebooks with video, photos, 3-D objects and—of course—text. It’s a free tool from Apple. (Age 10 and up, or with adult help)

3-D Modeling & Printing Tools Tinkercad—This web-based

tool makes designing 3-D objects accessible to kids. It offers great tutorials as well as an active community where kids can inspire others and be inspired. (Age 13 and up, or with adult help)

Printrbot—Ready to start print-

Thingmaker—Mattel’s fami-

ly-friendly 3-D printer isn’t out yet, but it was a hit at Toy Fair in February. It’s slated to ship this fall for $300, but you can pre-order it on Amazon today. (Age 13 and up, or with adult help)

Animation & Movie Creation Tools Easy Studio Stop-Motion Studio: Introduction to animation—Beginners learn

animation using shapes in this colorful app. It includes three modes—tutorial, guided and free-animation—so kids can move at their own pace. You can get it for iPhone and iPad. (Age 6 and up)

Stop Motion Studio—Kids

shoot, edit and boost their animations with effects, music and voice-overs. And it’s all pretty easy to do. Stop Motion Studio is available for Mac and iOS, Android and Windows. (Age 9 and up)

iMovie—Available for Mac and

iOS devices, iMovie helps kids easily create professional-looking videos. Fun templates let kids create Hollywood-style movie trailers using their videos. (Age 13 and up, or with adult help)

Game Creation Tools

Drawing Pad—Crayons.

Tynker—With the iPad and

Android apps, kids learn to code by solving puzzles as well as through interactive tutorials. They can share the games, stories and interactive animations they create. For a more in-depth experience, the Tynker website offers online courses and more resources. (Age 7 and up)

Scratch—Kids program their

own games (as well as interactive stories and animations) on this site, and can participate in an active, encouraging community of kid programmers. It’s from the MIT Media Lab, and it’s awesome and free. (Age 8 and up)

Markers. Colored pencils. Paint brushes. Drawing Pad gives kids realistic digital versions of these tools and more. It’s available for iPad and Android tablets. (Age 4 and up)

Autodesk Sketchbook—This

powerful app is great for older kids who want to create with professional digital tools. They’ll get brushes, customizable pencils, pens, markers and more, plus features like layers and pressure sensitivity. You can try the free Sketchbook Express to sample some of the tools before buying. Autodesk Sketchbook is available for iOS, Android and Windows devices. (Age 12 and up)

Hopscotch—Using iPad, kids

make games using an easy-tolearn, drag-and-drop interface. They can publish their games for others to play on iPhone or iPad. (Age 9 and up)

Art Creation Tools Sago Mini Doodlecast —Kids’

imaginations can run wild with easy-to-use drawing tools and 30+ creative prompts. The app captures kids’ drawings along with their voices, creating videos that kids can save and share (with a parent’s help). You can get it for iPhone or iPad. (Age 2 and up)

ing out your own 3-D objects? Printrbot Play is one of the least expensive 3-D printers on the market, and is designed for beginners, kids and enthusiasts. (Age 13 and up, or with adult help)

iPhone/iPad app

Android app

Mac

Windows

Web-based

Kid’s-Eye View

By Angela Watson

Angela Watson, Dancer Age: 13 Hometown: Oakland, California Favorite color: Powder blue Fun fact: I’m a twin! My brother, Richard, is a singer.

One of the requirements at my middle school is that dancers learn how to take a professional “action shot.” This is one of my seventh-grade action shots. Photo by Niko S. Kitaoka.

Toca Magazine’s Kid’s-Eye View project helps adults see the world through the eyes of kids. I attend an art school, and my emphasis is dance. We’re serious dancers (my audition was three hours, and it was very hard!), but our school is also very rowdy, very crazy, in a creative way. I say, embrace yourself! Kids have a lot of opinions and a lot of ideas. If we were heard more, the world would be a little bit more colorful. Right now, my creativity level and imagination, on a scale of 1 to 10, would probably be 8. When I was 5, it was 100 percent—I thought I could fly. I think it’s important to be in a creative environment in order to stay creative. Adults have been introduced to the cruel world, so their expectations drop a little bit. But if you’re surrounded by a creative environment, you’re most likely to stay that way. And if you’re surrounded with a dull, plain environment, then you’re most likely to have dull, plain creativity. If you feel your creativity is fading, take action and change your environment! Maybe it’s big, vibrant colors, or remembering what you liked to do when you were younger. Try and keep that thing that you love, and soon it will make you more creative.

See more kids’ perspectives at: tocaboca.com/ kids-eye-view

The Creativity Issue

Embrace Yourself!

Toca Magazine

My “tilt” on the steps leading to the Statute of Liberty in front of the Hudson River.

A Day in My Life: I wake up super early. Not all the time—sometimes I have to rush. My twin brother stays asleep for a very long time. Then I go upstairs and fix my lunch as fast as I can. I can’t do my hair because it’s very poofy! I have to get my mom to put it in a bun—it has to be in a bun for dance.

Me at age 4, when I took pre-ballet and tap class.

Then after that I try my hardest to get my brother up. It doesn’t work. I go back downstairs and have my mother get him up, and then he gets dressed super-fast—I don’t know how he does it! And then he gets breakfast. Then we get in the car. We go to school.

Two-hour intensive dance training class at my school. Ms. Hurley, the assistant dance director, is on the left. She’s perfect!

My twin brother, Richard (a vocal music artist), and me after a big performance. It’s nice to have a shoulder to lean on!

My first period is English and social studies. They mix it up sometimes; sometimes we have social studies first, and sometimes we have English first. That is my favorite subject for some reason. Then after that I go to dance for three periods. I have three hours of dance, it is my favorite! I love dancing because I can’t fly and it gives me that extra feeling of flying.

“Dance duet” with my friend Pilar, choreographed by my school’s dance department chair, Mr. Savage. Photo by Niko S. Kitaoka; courtesy of Savage Jazz Dance Company.

After school I continue to dance, for a total of at least six hours of dance each day. If I could change anything about my schedule, it would only be slightly different: I’d have dance for longer. Other than that, it’s good! Me with flowers after a performance. I could feel the love! I couldn’t do any of this without the support of my amazing parents. Photos courtesy of Carolyn Watson except as noted.

Toca Blocks is a unique worldbuilding app that lets you play in the worlds you craft.

In Toca Blocks, you can:

BUILD: Construct worlds and fill

them with your own adventurous paths.

INTERACT: Meet the characters and discover their different abilities as you take them though your world.

MAKE: Explore the blocksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

attributes by merging blocks together to transform them into something else.

SHARE: Snap a photo of your

world to save to your camera roll before you share it with your family and friends.

Toca Spotlight

Building Blocks in the Digital World Find out four reasons for kids to build with digital toys. By Ingrid Simone

Playing with blocks—the physical toy pieces—can help kids build spatial reasoning skills and mathematical thinking, according to current research. Building with digital toys like Toca Blocks can allow kids to learn and explore in different and complementary ways. It’s not an either-or: There are great reasons to build with both physical and digital toys. With digital toys, kids can:

1. Dream bigger. If you’ve ever watched a kid construct a fantasy home, a town or even an entire world in a digital toy, you know that kids can make grand creations in a relatively short amount of

time. Compared to building with physical toys, kids building with digital toys aren’t as limited by the number of toys, physical space, toddler siblings in the knock-everything-over-phase or frisky cats.

2. Build on the go. Yes, kids can take a handful of physical pieces with them on the go, but with digital devices they can bring along the entire world they’ve constructed.

4. Preserve everexpanding creations. Unless you’ve got a wing of your home dedicated to building toys, typically kids will have to take apart what they’ve made with physical toys. With digital toys, they can preserve their work and return to it weeks, months, even years later. A bonus reason for parents: You won't step on pieces of digital building toys.

3. Take risks. Because it’s easy to revise digital creations kids can take more risks and explore in ways that are more difficult to do with physical toys.

Get Toca Blocks now. Find out more at: tocaboca.com/app/ toca-blocks

Imaginative play in early childhood could be the key to creativity in adulthood. By Helen Shwe Hadani, Ph.D.

Childhood is a magical time when cardboard boxes can turn into castles or spaceships, and teddy bears can request extra sugar in their tea. Creativity may be a hallmark of childhood, but it’s not just child’s play. In fact, many scientists have found that identifying and nurturing creative potential in the early years of childhood is crucial for developing the next generation of innovators with the skills needed to solve tomorrow’s greatest challenges. But do kids today have the opportunity to fully explore their creativity? Or are packed schedules, structured activities and a heavy focus on early academics and testing leaving too little time for young kids to free their minds?

Why pretend play matters Kids are curious, playful, imaginative and open to new experiences. Often, kids express their imagination and creativity through imaginary play and the creation of imaginary compan-

ions. According to a growing body of research, scientists have found a strong link between kids who engage in this type of play with a high level of creativity in adulthood. Pretend play helps kids develop executive function skills, or the ability to plan and exert self-control and focus. Kids learn to inhibit their impulses and follow socially based rules. When kids engage in role-play, they have to take the perspective of another (e.g., what would Superman do?) and simulate the other’s beliefs, desires and emotions. Researchers discovered that pretend play is predictive of “divergent” thinking—generating creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions—and original thinking over time. One study, conducted by Sandra Russ, a professor of psychology at Case Western Reserve University, followed kids for 10 years, from first and second grades into high school. The scientists found that the quality of fantasy and imagination in the early grade-school years was positively related to divergent thinking ability in high school.

Imaginary friends? You’re in good company Another form of imaginative play linked to long-term

creativity is the act of creating make-believe friends. Kids with imaginary companions were found to be more creative on two of three estimates of creativity, according to a study published in Creativity Research Journal. The theory is that imaginary companions promote

researchers found a link between kids who invent imaginary worlds and adults who innovate and invent originality of ideas by allowing kids to discover opportunities, explore materials and use them in new ways. Some of today’s creative celebrities have revealed they

had imaginary friends. Justin Timberlake, Cher and Channing Tatum have all talked about their imaginary friends. Cher told Us Weekly that she had not one but two imaginary friends, both lumberjacks. And Tatum told GQ that as a kid, he would even save an extra place at the table for his imaginary friend, Boy.

A whole new— imaginary—world A less common form of imaginary play is paracosms, or the creation of full imaginary worlds, which typically starts at later ages (peaking around age 9 and fading in the late teenage years). When kids create imaginary worlds they sometimes invent special people, countries and languages, and these worlds can be described in elaborate detail through stories, pictures and maps. Researchers found a link between kids who invent imaginary worlds and adults who innovate and invent. In the World Play Project, Robert and Michele Root-Bernstein found that about a quarter of the MacArthur Fellows they studied (“Genius Grant” recipients) had invented imaginary worlds as children. In fact, many of the fellows who shared their intricate imaginary worlds could articulate how the invention of those worlds in

The Creativity Issue

Imagine Dragons... and People and Worlds

Toca Magazine childhood nurtured and trained their creativity capacities in adulthood.

How you can support your kid While all children have creative potential, researchers found that kids are heavily influenced and persuaded by outside environmental factors, which can encourage or disrupt this development. With this in mind, adults will want to be mindful not to discourage kids from pretend play, imaginary friends or make-believe worlds. The space and time for creative exploration needs to be pro-

tected and cultivated through let your child create wild and reinforcement by peers, parents complex narratives and encourand teachers. This is especially age their unique imaginative important before and during play scenarios. the â&#x20AC;&#x153;fourth-grade slumpâ&#x20AC;? when kids begin to experience more Helen Shwe Hadani, Ph.D., is social pressure. Around this age, head of research at the Center the ability to be spontaneous, for Childhood Creativity at the flexible and confident enough to Bay Area Discovery Museum. take risks diminishes. If we want to raise the next generation Sparking Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of entrepreneurs, Imaginations with inventors and probDigital Toys lem-solvers, we need to actively cultivate creativity in kids. Rich tocaboca.com/ magazine/ imaginative play is sparkingnot wasted time. So imagination

Creativity is increasingly recognized as a key to success in our rapidly changing world. According to a 2010 study conducted by IBM, more than 1,500 CEOs from 60 countries and 33 industries believe that creativity is the key to successfully navigating an increasingly complex world. In the study, creativity beat out rigor, management, discipline, integrity and even vision. Creativity allows us to recognize needs, to see challenges in a new light and to problem-solve with fresh approaches.

The Creativity Issue

Fabulous Fabrication New high-tech maker space offers hands-on learning to kids as young as 3. by Amanda Bindel

Jan Morrison faced a challenge. As CEO of the Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES), she created programs to bring science, technology and engineering into elementary schools. But the tech community longed for programs to expose even younger kids to coding and other STEM activities, she said. At the same time, the maker community worried that early exposure to screens would come at the expense of more hands-on experiences. “The digital world wanted kids coding in front of screens,” Morrison said. “The maker world didn’t want them on screens, but wanted them tinkering. How can both happen?” She found the answer—in the form of a question—in the “dream team” of thinkers she assembled: “What if we created an early childhood Fab Lab that

allowed for tinkering and making and coding?” So that team— with minds from FableVision, Virginia Tech, The Fab Foundation and the National Science Foundation—got to work. Now, the Bay Area Discovery Museum is set to show kids and their parents how kids can use technology to be creators and not just consumers. Its new Fab Lab empowers kids to use technology beyond the touchscreen in their new high-tech maker space—the first of its kind designed for young kids, ages 3 to 10.

Kids get hands-on experience with hightech tools The Bay Area Discovery Museum is the logical location for such an endeavor. It houses the Center for Childhood Creativity,

a research and advisory division, and has a 25-year history as an innovator in children’s learning rooted in the constructivist theories of Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget: the belief that children can direct their own learning and that adults and teachers are merely guides in the process. Kids today are digital natives—as consumers. They learn how to use screens by observing those around them, but they need to get hands-on with the behind-the-screen technology to understand how it works and how to make it themselves. Eighty-five percent of kids’ neural pathways are built by the time they are 5, according to Elizabeth Rood, vice president of education strategy at the Bay Area Discovery Museum and director of research at the Center for Childhood Creativity. “We have to lead the conver-

sation about how technology can be used to help kids learn,” Rood said. The Fab Lab is designed specifically for the preschool mindset. Preschoolers want to know “why?” They want to play. This hands-on experience lets them figure out the why and how while they play. Kids and parents will have access to 3-D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines and design software on tablets. They can explore these tools, experiment with them and figure out how they work. “We have to elevate creativity as a fundamental skill for every kid, whether they become engineers or artists, doctors or inventors,” Rood said.

Parents and kids explore together Unlike other areas of the

Toca Magazine

Early Childhood Fab Lab Manifesto WE BELIEVE in children’s creative power as designers who imagine, test and refine solutions to improve the world. WE BELIEVE that the best learning is shared — between children, with adults and with the world. WE BELIEVE that hands-on experiences build lifelong curiosity, persistence and deep understanding. WE BELIEVE that all children deserve quality science, technology, engineering and math experiences that empower them as thinkers and problem-solvers.

museum, where kids tend to play on their own, the Fab Lab engages both parents and kids to explore together. “The best learning happens when kids are engaged with other people. We know that kids learn best not when they are alone but when they are with other children or their parents,” Rood said. The museum has its manifesto posted throughout the facility to remind parents to let kids explore and to encourage the discovery process of learning. In the Fab Lab, that’s even more important. “Parents enter this space as learners, too,” Rood said. They aren’t usually familiar with the tools themselves, so they have to figure out how to use them alongside their kids. The Fab Lab offers kids and parents experiential learning. “We’re asking kids to iden-

A Movement in the Making tocaboca.com/ magazine/ makermovement

tify a problem, make a plan, refine that plan,” Rood said. “It requires a tolerance for risk. It requires good questions and problem solving.” The process, not the product, is what’s important, and the manifesto reminds parents of that. “Parents need to grow in their capacity to let kids struggle and grow and not interfere or rush them,” Rood advised. “Try something, fix what didn’t work and try again. Don’t just step in and do it for the kid. Don’t have them erase and start over. See what happens.” Learn about the Bay Area Discovery Museum at www.baykidsmuseum.org. Visit www.fabfoundation.org to find a Fab Lab near you.

What’s a Fab Lab? Fab Labs (fabrication laboratories) are hightech maker spaces—with machines like 3-D printers and laser cutters—that build STEM skills through handson learning. A growing, global network, the Fab Lab model has increasingly been adopted by upper elementary, middle and high schools. And now, the Bay Area Discovery Museum is opening a Fab Lab for younger kids. (Source: Bay Area Discovery Museum)

Toca Magazine

Toca Team

Daniel Abensour Lead Artist, Toca Life Team Toca Boca Office: Stockholm Hometown: Orgon, France

The Travelers, 2009

How would you define creativity? Freeing your imagination and using it without constraints! How did you realize you were a highly creative person? I've always been doodling and daydreaming, and at some point I wasn't sure about what to do with my life. My childhood friend was doing graphic design and illustration studies, and it looked like a nice thing to do. I went there and I discovered that I was actually good at it, and most of the time because I was trying to think outside of the box and use my imagination to complete exercises that my technical skills alone wouldn't have been able to solve.

Was your creativity supported during childhood? If so, how? My family has always been creative. My sister was painting at a very early age, and my mom has always been doing creative things as long as I remember; so being creative was sort of a natural behavior. What should parents know about their kids’ creativity? Creativity is super, super important. I can't emphasize this enough! It doesn't apply only for artistic skills, it applies for all things surrounding the well-being of kids. By allowing kids to use their imagination as often as possible, you unlock an infinite playground for them. Parents can help fuel creativity and help their kids grow it into something extraordinary.

What should kids know about creativity? Don't forget to daydream from time to time (but try not to do it at school)! Sometimes it can be challenging to feel creative when other kids seem so much better at it than you, but creativity isn't something you compare, it's something unique and personal. So never be scared to doodle, craft, role-play, disguise yourself and much more! Anything else? Creativity is the most amazing magical power!

creativity isn’t something you compare, it’s something unique and personal

Claim your FREE app!

Redeem at www.tocaboca.com/creativity-issue