Abstract

While creative outlets are prioritized in childhood, adults in the United States are increasingly less likely to engage their creativity during leisure time, which ultimately impacts overall well-being. This project aimed to explore:1. What is creativity, and why is it beneficial?
2. What factors contribute to the decline of creative engagement?
3. How does engaging with creative outlets impact overall well-being?
4. How can play be used as a catalyst to foster creativity?Through a literature review, case studies, and visual analyses, this thesis examined and integrated existing research on creativity and play in order to effectively create a practical visual solution. For the visual solution, a gamified activity deck was created in order to prompt daily creative play and encourage emerging adults to cultivate lifelong creative habits.

Introducing

A gamified activity deck, Recess: Daily Creative Play was created as a visual solution to prompt daily creative play and encourage emerging adults to cultivate lifelong creative habits.The deck offers a full year of creative play activities, spread across six different categories! Each activity takes 20 minutes or less and can be completed solo or enjoyed with a group. The prompts are simple, fast, and fun—designed to make creative play a desirable, achievable, and sustainable daily habit.

1. Choose a Category Tile

The color of the tile will determine the category of activity for the day.

2. Draw an Activity Card

Each activity card gives you a choice between two options — just rotate the card!

3. Complete the Activity

Once chosen, try out the activity. It won't take a lot of time — unless you want it to!

4. Add Your Tile to the Tracker

Once you've completed the activity, you can add it to the tracker for a visual reminder of your progress!

Express

Express your personal voice

Experiment

Experiment with your perspective or routine

Doodle

Doodle freely without pressure

Explore

Explore outside — your front door or comfort zone

Imagine

Imagine new things and possibilities

Craft

Craft something tangible using your hands

Gallery Exhibit

Recess: Daily Creative Play has already had a successful start at its interactive gallery exhibition debut, where visitors were encouraged to sample activities from the deck and engage their creativity. The exhibition setup consisted of six different stations themed after the categories of Recess.At each station, visitors could read about the category, view featured cards, and test out a sample prompt. Visitors were provided with simple materials, such as permanent markers, to highlight that the activities required only minimal resources. Once their creation was complete, visitors were encouraged to add it to the wall surrounding the station. As audience participation grew, so did the visual display, providing even more inspiration and incentives to collaborate.