Game to Develop Lateral Thinking – The Game of ‘Why’

Many of my posts deal with lateral thinking and creativity. These are skills which are very important in today’s world and will become even more important in the future. Therefore, if you want to make your children future ready, you must make efforts to develop this skill.

Also Read 2 Activities to Develop Lateral Thinking

Like any other skill, creativity and lateral thinking can be developed. The more you exercise and practice, the better you become at it. The sooner you start your child off onto this path, the more creative he/she will be.

This game, like others that have been posted earlier, is fun, engaging and helps in developing lateral thinking among all age groups. This has been proposed by Edward de Bono in his book ‘Lateral Thinking’.

Also Read How to Develop Creativity?

The Game of Why

This game is extremely simple but will prompt the players to think hard, to think out of the box and also to question the basic assumptions that we take for granted.

Number of players

Two

How to Play

One player makes a statement. The other asks a question starting with ‘Why’. It is similar to a child asking ‘Why this?’ and ‘Why that?’, the difference being that here it is specific and intentional.

Let me make this clear by an example.

Player 1 (makes a statement): Eagle is flying.

Player 2: Why?

Player 1: Because it is a bird.

Player 2: Why does a bird fly?

Player 1: Because that is the way to moves from place to place.

Player 2: Why does it have to go from place to place.

Player 1: Because it has to search for food.

Player 2: Why does it search for food?

Player 1: Because it will die if it doesn’t eat.

Player 2: Why?

Player 1: Because all animals need nutrition and energy to survive and food provides it.

The ‘Why’ can focus on some other thing and the game can go in a completely different direction.

For example:

Player 1: Eagle is flying.

Player 2: Why?

Player 1: Because the winds are perfect for it to fly high.

Player 2: Why?

Player 1: Because eagles use wind currents to fly, so that they use minimum energy.

So, you see, the focus of the answer and the question can take the game in many different directions.

The game can last till Player 2 had asked 10 questions. If Player 1 can answer all questions, he/she gets a point.

Also Read Other Creativity Building Games- Fastest Sketcher First

Also Read Other Creativity Building Games-Spiralling Stories

Benefits

It develops lateral thinking. It makes you question some assumptions that you had and to look for explanations for things that you take for granted. It develops a questioning and more observant behavior in children which will help them in any field that they decide to go in the future.