| Classic thinking games are a great way to tune | | | | couch.More Thinking GamesA lateral thinking puzzle |
| up your brain. You can use these mind games to | | | | you can try right now involves nine dots, layed |
| help you increase your brain power and to get | | | | out three by three. Connect them all with four |
| you out of your thinking "ruts." Play them enough, | | | | straight lines, without lifting the pen or pencil from |
| and they'll habituate you to using creative problem | | | | the paper. When you figure this one out you'll |
| solving as a normal part of thinking about | | | | appreciate the expression "thinking outside of the |
| things.Thinking Games For GroupsGroup thinking | | | | box."Many lateral-thinking puzzles use a scenario, |
| games are especially good for long trips in a car. | | | | real or imagined, with a selection of things you |
| Have someone look out the window, for example, | | | | have to use to accomplish something. Imagine a |
| and randomly choose an object. Everyone in the | | | | ping-pong ball in an iron pipe that's set in cement. |
| car then tries to imagine a new way to make | | | | The pipe sticks up three-feet high, and has almost |
| money with it. Common street signs become | | | | the same diameter as the ball. Using only a box of |
| places to advertise, trees are sold with names, | | | | frosted-flakes, and a t-shirt, and your body and |
| and a truck becomes a traveling grocery | | | | mind, how many ways can you find to get the |
| store.Use the "change of perspective" technique | | | | ball out of the pipe? You could also set this up for |
| as a problem-solving game. Just pick any topic, | | | | real, to know if a proposed solution will really |
| and see who can come up with the most unique | | | | work.Many riddles are just mind games or |
| new perspective. Could there be a world where | | | | lateral-thinking puzzles. You move laterally in your |
| jobs weren't necessary? How would a virus define | | | | mind, away from your usual line of thought, to |
| morality if it was conscious?One creative thinking | | | | solve a riddle. For example, what did his friends do |
| game uses a technique called "concept | | | | when the canibal was late for dinner? They gave |
| combination." You simply combine random | | | | him the cold shoulder, of course! Keeping your |
| concepts or things in interesting ways, and see | | | | brain in shape doesn't have to be a matter of |
| who has the best idea. A chair and a microwave? | | | | serious study. Why not play some thinking |
| Maybe an easy-chair with a built-in cooler, | | | | games?Steve Gillman has been studying |
| microwave and television, or microwavable "couch | | | | brainpower and related topics for years. |
| potatoes" - a potato snack in the shape of a | | | | |