The Power of Playfulness in Creativity

My 13-year-old son, Kester, is the king of random. The other day at breakfast, he announced, “Did you know I’m the new face of Kinder eggs?”  

I laughed. “I didn’t even know Kinder had a face.”  

 “They do now. They’ve chosen me. And they’re launching a new range called Devil Eggs.”  

“What kind of chocolate would that be?”  

“Oh, real dark chocolate,” he said, “maybe with a bit of chilli.”  

Not a bad idea, actually. Chocolate with chilli already exists. Could Kinder make a teenage version of their famous egg? Then I asked about the toy inside and he suggested either a condom or a vape.  

Okay, maybe not those. But still—how often do we dismiss the wildly creative ideas that come from kids? (And incidentally kids have invented some pretty cool stuff – Braille, Water skis and Trampolines)

What kids can teach us about creativity.

Their ideas, while often wilfully random, are usually free from constraints, and can often spark something fresh. It’s this thinking that my Creativity Workshop co-host Charlie Curson and I promote in our workshops.  As the late great Sir Ken Robinson said, “We don’t grow into creativity, we grow out of it.”

Our most creative moments are very rarely in a structured boardroom, but more usually in relaxed environments—at home, in the shower, waking up, on a walk, on the toilet. When we’re at ease, ideas flow. So why not pay more attention to those spontaneous thoughts that arise in everyday moments? The next game-changing concept might just come from breakfast banter.  

Have you ever received a cracking piece of advice from a child and actually used it?  

If you're looking to tap into this kind of creativity, join us for a Creativity in Business Workshop. Let’s explore how playfulness and openness can lead to real innovation. [Register here)  https://www.teammandarin.com/creativity-in-business-workshop