Creativity?

A correspondent recently made reference to my "creativity," referring to my block designs, and leaving me more than a bit nonplussed.

I tend to think of my block play as a pleasant activity that provides me some of the rewards of creative activity, without making demands of actual creative design. Brain damage has put what I consider "creativity" much further from my grasp than it used to be.

Most of what I do is construction from existing plans, perhaps adapting them a bit after the critical design aspects are in place - sort of like a cook tweaking the herbs and spices in an established recipe.

So a big chunk of my biweekly therapy session today was spent discussing types of creativity, my attitudes toward creativity, etc.

When I do create original designs, I tend to be working closer to the beginning of the list of "stages in block building."

I think I benefit greatly from the availability of these various stages, so that I can "play" at different levels as my capabilities - my mental capacities - fluctuate from day to day.

And as I read about block play and early childhood education, I realize that my blogging, here in blockplay.blogspot.com, very much parallels what teachers are having their young charges do in telling or writing a story about their block projects, after they are built.

Therapy on the hoof. Right here in front of you.

And also, I hope, some ideas that you can take away for use with young children - or developmenatlly disabled or brain damaged older children or adults.

Ah. Ideas. Creativity.

[today's blocks are from Froebel's Kindergarten Gift #6]