One of my favorite board games is Taboo.  Working in pairs, one partner needs to make his or her partner say a certain word.  However, there is a list of four words that cannot be used as clues, all of which are words typically associated with the word.  Thus, the clue-giver needs to think creatively to produce clues, which is why I love this game.  It encourages creativity, which to me is an important skill.

Creativity can be used in many applications.  Painting a picture or writing a poem can be a fun way to exercise your creativity.  It also can be used to solve problems, both big and small.  Whether it is figuring out how to convince a toddler that a nap is a good idea or selling a new compensation plan to your board of directors, creativity is a useful tool.

While creativity may not be able to be taught, it can be encouraged.  On our parenting site, one of our columnists wrote about an all-important toy that children should have.  Neither motorized nor flashy, this toy can entertain for hours and encourage children to use their imaginations.

On the other end of the childhood spectrum, some college students had a creative solution for their school newspaper.  When told that a certain article could not be a headline, they found a way to attract attention to the story nonetheless.

Whether you are two or ninety-two, creativity should be an important part of your day.  As Carl Jung noted, “Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth.  The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable.”