Vincenzo Perella and Dan Osborn created a welcoming, engaging and imaginative environment for “Create Your Own Dystopia,” giving every child in the room the knowledge, information and encouragement they needed to bring their own dystopian world to life.
Once the activity began, the room quickly came alive with creativity. Children were instantly talking about their ideas and putting pen to paper, developing characters and imagining the stories that would unfold within them. Some children even began drawing what their individual worlds would look like, adding another visual dimension to their ideas.
What stood out most was the way Vincenzo and Dan encouraged every child to explore their own imagination. Rather than simply giving instructions and leaving the children to work independently, they walked around the room, engaging with each child, asking questions about their creations, the how and why of their ideas and encouraging them to expand on their creativity. Their genuine interest helped create an environment where children felt comfortable sharing their thoughts and allowed them to get into the creative flow state.
This was a fantastic activity for children 9+ to engage with their imaginations and discover what they are capable of creating. Watching the children become completely immersed in their own fictional worlds was wonderful to see.
For me, it was particularly special watching my 11-year-old niece take part. Seeing her imagination come to life on the page, watching her develop her ideas and seeing the excitement as she created her own dystopian world was an absolute joy. Her imagination took her to a place my nightmares are made of which included a giant, human-eating bird and toxic water surrounding abandoned buildings.
By the end of the 55-minute session, each child had been given the space to explore their ideas, express their imagination and create a world entirely of their own.