Hello Friends! This post is the first in a series to sneak a peak at what you will find in my new book about Curiosity, which will be available in print and e-book this summer! I will send out a new teaser each week or two and pretty soon there will be info on how to order. the book. If you are curious and want to be on a list to know right away, contact me.

Curiosity is more than a buzzword in education and leadership. It’s a way of being that we all have inside us, and when we let it out it makes life richer and a lot more fun. It also allows us to be more creative and innovative which in today’s world will help us stand out in a crowd.

Just how does being curious help us?

Curiosity is fun, its like a game, and who doesn't like to play? And I mean play like a 5 year old. Curiosity is like the unstructured play of a 5 year old. When we forget about what we “know” and just let play unfold we discover new possibilities. I paid a visit to the Telus Spark Science Centre (TM) in Calgary and as I walked about I felt like I was in a huge playground. Everywhere I looked there were things to play with and manipulate and build but no clear instructions on what the result had to look like. I spent an afternoon with Devon Hamilton ( the former VP of Exhibits) about what they do there, what their purpose is. He spoke of a society in which the ‘doing’ of things has become very superficial. “We go places and see things, and take selfies, but we often don’t interact with what we see. It becomes about the image of us doing rather than the actual doing.” Or, if we do “play” we follow rules and instructions that expect a certain outcome for “success”. Getting really curious allows us to interact with whatever is in front of us and see what happens, without being attached to a particular outcome. It is stress free. And a lot of fun.

When was the last time you took part in unstructured play? What did it give you? How will you play today?

Stay tuned for more...

And have a great day!

Sue

You can't just give someone a creativity injection. You have to create an environment for curiosity and a way to encourage people and get the best out of them.

Sir Ken Robinson