Innovative fun for both parents and children
When innovation involves both children and parents, it's really fun. A parent-child version of the Odyssey of the Mind innovation competition received more than 160,000 entries by local families from all over Shanghai.
The competition included six challenges, from which each parent-child team chose one to show their creative ability.
One required participants to make a paper structure which could stand on the desk while stretching out as far as possible. In another challenge teams had to make a flying object and see how far it could travel.
Teams with kindergarten or primary school children could pick challenges such as making futuristic costumes and performing a play.
There were also two challenges for grandparents – to take a photo of a scenario showing how innovation has changed lives, or making something at home to make life more convenient.
The competition, organized by the city's learning-oriented society and lifelong learning promotion office together with other parties, aims to promote innovation among the public and communication between parents and children, as well as children's abilities in group working and problem solving.
Since July, more than 16 training sessions have been organized in various communities to help families and old people improve their lifelong learning, communication and innovation abilities.
Here are some of the innovative teams.
A boy launches his flying object on its maiden flight.
A girl launches her creation into the air at the competition.
How far can a paper structure stretch out from the desk?
The aliens have landed as a family shows off its futuristic costumes.
A boy dresses up a spaceman during the competition.
A mother and a daughter with their innovation model.
