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Why do DI? |
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Destination ImagiNation® is not really a program, it’s a process. Team members engage in creativity, Creative Problem Solving, and teamwork all year long, individually and together, with DI Challenges, otherwise known as a great practice drill for the challenges of real life! Participants will develop life-long skills that carry over into everyday life – but most of all, they will have fun, discover talents they never knew they had, become friends with kids they might not have ever met, and reap the rewards of teamwork and friendship as they grow and learn.
How much time does DI take? Kids need to commit to an hour or two per week for team meetings. Exactly how long, where and when is up to each individual team.
Even though the kids have to solve the problem, we still need grown ups!
Adult volunteers are needed to help with instant challenges, snacks, shuttling kids around, teaching skills the children want to learn, and most of all for team management. The more adults who commit to helping out, the less time intensive it is for everyone, and the more fun DI is for the kids.
Top 10 Reasons to be a Destination ImagiNation® team manager:
• Minimal qualifications (can you spell DI?).
• Party conversations become a breeze…you'll always have an answer to "What's new with you?"
• Keeping up with your team keeps you forever young (... or gives your hair those distinguished silver highlights).
• "Destination ImagiNation Team Manager" looks good on resume.
• "No Interference" rule means "It's not your job to solve the Challenge".
• Team managing expands your shopping horizons... hardware stores take on a whole new look.
• You have the opportunity to travel with lots of children to exotic locations... by van and bus.
• Destination ImagiNation® expands your stockpile of useful junk.
• Team materials hide nasty scratches on your dining table.
• Destination ImagiNation® cures the mid-winter blues. Time flies when you're having fun!
Bonus Reasons to be a Destination ImagiNation® Team Manager
• Opportunity to teach real-world life-long skills to a bunch of kids you'll learn to love.
• The satisfaction of seeing a bunch of disorganized kids come together as a team to create a unique solution that they can be proud of.
•They'll rub off on you and you'll be more creative as well.
You can have a tremendous impact on a great bunch of kids
Without volunteer Team Managers, there can be no teams
Courtesy of Victor Tom, Massachusetts DI
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General Information About the Teams |
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Destination ImagiNation®
Take a team of five to seven kids who are roughly the same age, add a mind boggling Team Challenge, shake it up with some on-the-spot thrills called Instant Challenges, add some costumes, props, a story line and, oh yeah, DON’T FORGET THE DUCT TAPE!
Destination ImagiNation® is not really a program, it’s a process. Team members engage in creativity, Creative Problem Solving, and teamwork all year long, individually and together, with DI Challenges, otherwise known as a great practice drill for the challenges of real life! Participants will develop life-long skills that carry over into everyday life – but most of all, they will have fun, discover talents they never knew they had, become friends with kids they might not have ever met, and reap the rewards of teamwork and friendship as they grow and learn.
Destination ImagiNation® in Leander ISD
Most of the local schools sponsor at least a few DI teams each year. We have had teams win locally, earn trophies and even win at the state level. We have even had a LISD team place in the top 10 globally last year!
Making the DI program work requires the time and energy of both children and parents. Children will generally need to attend weekly meetings that last an hour or two. Parents are needed to help with instant challenges, snacks, shuttling kids around, teaching skills the children want to learn, and most of all for team management.
Each year, there are a number of children who don’t get onto a team because there aren’t enough adults who can manage the teams. We have adults with experience as team managers who have offered to serve as mentors and consultants for new team mangers. If your child is interested in DI, please consider volunteering as a team manager. It’s loads of fun, and it’s a very rewarding experience.
Instant Challenge to try at home
INSTANT CHALLENGES are short problems designed to test a team’s creative, “thinking on their feet” skills. Destination ImagiNation® uses 3 types of Instant Chalellenges: PERFORMANCE-based Challenges, TASK-based Challenges, and Challenges which combine both elements. An example of a PERFORMANCE Challenge is shown below.
IN THE MIRROR
Challenge: Present a PERFORMANCE in which you show the Appraisers what is inside a mirror.
Time: You will have up to 5 minutes to use your IMAGINATION to create your skit and props, as well as plan your PERFORMANCE, and up to 2 minutes to present your PERFORMANCE to the Appraisers.
The Scene: Many people have heard about a girl named Alice who goes through a looking glass, or mirror. That story is just one person’s idea of what is really inside a mirror. Here’s your chance to present your own ideas! You are to present a skit about what happens when your team happens to walk through a mirror into a different world. You should make some props to help tell your story.
Materials:
1 Piece of Poster Board 5 Colored Markers 2 Pairs of Scissors
2 Pieces of Foil
The scissors and markers may NOT be damaged and may NOT be part of the PERFORMANCE. In addition, a piece of paper and a pencil will be available for your team to use as you prepare your PERFORMANCE.
Scoring: You will receive up to
1 A. 20 points for the creativity of the world inside the mirror.
2 B. 30 points for the creativity of your props.
3 C. 30 points for the creativity of your PERFORMANCE.
4 D. 20 points for how well your team works together.
©2005 Destination ImagiNation, Inc.
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