Imagine you arrive at work and learn that your co-worker, who is leading a big presentation for your team that morning, is out sick. The meeting is still on, and you’ve been asked to give the update. You have one hour to regroup, gather your teammates, and figure out how to deliver the presentation together.

Who’s going to take the lead? Who knows which parts best? How do you divvy up the talking points and make sure it’s cohesive when no one’s rehearsed it? As the clock ticks down, you start to see who naturally steps up, who stays calm under pressure, who finds creative ways to fill the gaps—and where the team’s strengths and gaps reveal themselves.

That’s an Instant Challenge in disguise.

For students in Destination Imagination (DI), moments like these are more than familiar—they practice them every week. Instant Challenge is a surprise, hands-on task that pushes students to think creatively and work together under pressure. It may look like fun, but it’s also serious skill-building.

Each challenge helps kids develop the same skills adults rely on every day—skills that many of us are still learning to strengthen: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. And because Instant Challenge makes up 25% of a team’s overall DI score, many teams make it a cornerstone of their season-long practice.

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Turning the Tables

Recently, one team in Mexico—the Creative Monsters—decided to shake up their Instant Challenge practice with a creative twist: this time, it was the parents’ turn to take on the challenge.

The activity was called “Number Tower.” Teams were tasked with building a freestanding tower inspired by a number of their choice. Once the structure was complete, they had to give a short presentation explaining how that number influenced their design.

Like all Instant Challenges, it was a short, high-energy activity—this one lasting less than eight minutes from start to finish. Using only a small assortment of everyday materials—six straws, four pencils, four index cards, four chenille sticks, four craft sticks, four mailing labels, two sheets of paper, two clothespins, and one paper cup—teams had to plan quickly, think creatively, and communicate clearly to bring their ideas to life under pressure.

The Creative Monsters decided to approach it in two rounds. First, the students built their towers and completed the presentation without parents watching. Then, the team watched as the parents took on the same challenge.

 

What followed was both fun and eye-opening. The kids got to see entirely new ways of approaching the problem, while the parents experienced the same kind of creative pressure their kids face at every practice and tournament.

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A New Perspective

The Creative Monsters’ longtime Team Manager, Laura Edith González, who has led the team for four years, says what stood out most was the shift in perspective.

Laura is an accountant and auditor who runs her own accounting firm, but outside of work, she has a deep love for the arts. She first joined DI when her nephew’s team needed help with acting and performance, drawing on her background in theatre. What started as a favor quickly became a passion. Today, she sees DI as the perfect blend of creativity, collaboration, and real-world learning.

She co-manages the team with Roel Torres, a teacher who works with CreadEduu, a STEAM-focused educational organization in Mexico. Roel first discovered DI when two of his students proudly showed him their project. Now, in his second year as a Team Manager, he continues to be inspired by the creativity and growth he sees in his students each season.

Laura says what moved her most about this activity was watching the kids’ expressions as their parents worked through the same creative process.

“Through this exercise, the kids realized that when a challenge is difficult, it’s not because they ‘failed,’ it’s because the task itself is designed to stretch their creativity,” said Laura. “And seeing their parents struggle a little too showed them that mistakes are part of the process, not the end of it.”

For the parents, the experience revealed something just as valuable. They saw firsthand the teamwork, adaptability, and quick thinking their children practice in DI—and how much skill it takes to collaborate effectively under pressure. Beyond the learning, the activity sparked laughter, bonding, and a deeper appreciation for the creative process itself.

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The Power of Modeling Creativity

Children often learn more from what they observe than from what they are told. Watching their parents model resilience, collaboration, and creative thinking gave the kids permission to embrace those same qualities. For parents, stepping into their children’s world revealed just how much growth is happening through the DI experience—how creativity builds confidence, and how teamwork becomes second nature through practice.

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More Than a Challenge

In the end, this experiment was about more than Instant Challenge practice. It was a glimpse into how creativity, communication, and adaptability show up in all parts of life—whether you’re a student facing a new task or an adult leading a last-minute presentation.

Real learning happens in those uncertain moments–when we’re willing to take a chance, figure things out together, and see what we can learn along the way. That’s what DI is all about: helping kids build the confidence to lead, collaborate, and problem solve in any situation. And when parents join that process, they see firsthand that creativity isn’t just a skill—it’s a shared experience that can bring people closer together.

What about your team? Could parents, siblings, or even teachers join in on an Instant Challenge for fun? Sometimes the best way to understand DI is to experience the challenge yourself.

 

The post When Parents Step Into the Challenge: How One DI Team Turned Creativity Into Connection appeared first on Destination Imagination.

Reflect on the last time you created something from scratch. Maybe you renovated a room the way you imagined it, cooked a dish without a recipe, or designed and planted a garden that finally grew. Remember that spark of accomplishment—the feeling that came from taking nothing and turning it into something real?

That spark isn’t just satisfying. It’s deeply human. From the first sharpened sticks used as hunting spears to the latest technological breakthroughs, our species has always been driven by the desire to imagine, problem-solve, and build.

This inherent drive is at the heart of the Destination Imagination (DI) Creative Process, a unique and powerful framework that goes far beyond a typical academic experience. By practicing it, kids learn that creativity isn’t just about making something new—it’s a life skill that builds confidence, resilience, and the ability to innovate. It’s a journey into applicable creativity, focusing not just on the final product, but on the transformative skills and behaviors that make innovation possible.

A Journey Into Creativity

The Destination Imagination Creative Process is a dynamic journey that involves recognizing the challenge, imagining solutions, collaborating and taking action, assessing progress, and then evaluating and celebrating the outcome.

Unlike a rigid checklist, the process is flexible. Students move fluidly between stages, circling back when new insights emerge or when things don’t go as planned. This adaptability reflects how we solve problems as adults, and it’s what makes the process so effective for kids who are learning how to navigate challenges on their own.

Here’s what the DI Creative Process looks like:

Understanding the Stages

Recognizing the Challenge
This is the foundational stage where a group (or an individual) first encounters the problem. It’s not just about reading the rules; it’s about deeply understanding the core of the challenge. The problem-solving group must deconstruct the problem, identify constraints, and uncover the unspoken or implied requirements. They ask questions like: “What are the key components of this challenge?” “What are the boundaries we absolutely must stay within?” and “What is the true spirit of what this challenge is asking us to do?” This phase is about intellectual curiosity and analytical thinking, setting the stage for everything that follows.

Imagining Solutions
Once the challenge is understood, the floodgates of thought open. This is the brainstorming phase where a wide array of ideas is generated without any judgment. The goal here is quantity over quality. A variety of creative-thinking tools assist in pushing past obvious solutions and exploring unconventional approaches. They might draw, role-play, or use word association to spark new connections. This is the space for “what if?” thinking, where every crazy idea is a potential starting point for a truly innovative solution. The focus is on divergent thinking—expanding the possibilities before narrowing them down.

Collaborating and Initiating Action
This is the pivotal stage where the work team transitions from abstract ideas to concrete plans. The team chooses the most promising ideas from the “imagining” phase and begins to build, design, write, and create. This is where teamwork and communication become paramount. Everyone collaborates with all available resources: other team members, materials, information, budget, and time. Care is given to delegate tasks, manage their time effectively, and combine individual skills to bring a shared vision to life. This stage is about initiating action and putting in the hands-on work. It’s where the prototype is built, the storyline is written, and the props are constructed.

Assessing Progress
As individuals, pairs, or the whole team work, they are constantly in a state of self-assessment. This is a crucial feedback loop where they evaluate their work against the original requirements and their own goals. They ask: “Is this working as we planned?” “Are we staying within our budget?” “Does this solution actually solve the problem?” If something isn’t working, they don’t see it as a failure, but as an opportunity to return to an earlier stage, re-imagine a solution, or simply make a small adjustment. This continuous assessment builds resilience and teaches the importance of iteration and refinement.

Evaluating and Celebrating the Outcome
The final stage is not just about presenting the solution; it’s about reflecting on the entire journey. The team evaluates the final product, considers the challenges they overcame, and recognizes the skills they developed along the way. This phase reinforces the value of the process itself, not just the result. This evaluation opens into a moment of celebration—acknowledging the hard work, collaboration, and innovation that went into the solution. This reflection solidifies the learning and is another challenge and opportunity to be creative.

The Innate Connection: Why Learners Find the Process So Rewarding

Being creative and looking for solutions are innate human behaviors. The DI Creative Process taps directly into this instinctual drive, making it profoundly rewarding for learners of all ages.

The process is entirely team-driven, regardless of the size of the team working on a challenge.  In a learning environment, adults are there to guide, not to dictate. This means that every idea, every solution, and every failure belongs to the team. This sense of ownership is incredibly motivating. Learners aren’t just following instructions; they are the architects of their own solution. They feel the thrill of a breakthrough and the sting of a failure, and they learn that both are essential parts of the creative journey.

The DI Creative Process is a journey of discovery. The constant discovery keeps learners engaged and curious. The process itself becomes the reward, a series of small victories and new insights that fuel the team’s progress. It’s the joy of figuring it out, of turning the abstract of a complex problem into a tangible solution.

A Life Skill for the Future

When we think about preparing kids for the future, it’s easy to focus on grades or test scores. But ask employers, or even reflect on your own life, and you’ll find the skills that matter most sound familiar: creativity, collaboration, adaptability, and resilience. These are the abilities that help people work through challenges, build strong teams, and come up with new ideas.

Through the DI Creative Process, kids don’t just hear about these skills. They live them. They practice brainstorming, making decisions together, testing ideas, and bouncing back when things don’t work out. Each project gives them a chance to grow more confident in their creativity and more comfortable with the ups and downs of problem-solving.

The DI Creative Process is more than a way to complete a project. It is a blueprint for a lifetime of learning and growth. It shows kids that creativity is not limited to a few naturally gifted people but is a skill that anyone can practice, strengthen, and carry into every part of their lives. And isn’t that what we all want—the next generation growing up confidently creative and ready to take on the world?

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With six different STEAM Challenges to pick from (and plenty of different opinions in the mix), making that choice can be exciting… and a little tricky. Here are a few tips on how to make the process smoother and more fun.

1. Start with the Challenge Previews

At your first team meeting, take a look at the Challenge Previews. These give you a quick snapshot of each Team Challenge, including its theme, major components, and what your team will be asked to do. You’ll quickly get a feel for which ones spark the most interest.

2. Go Deeper with the Full Team Challenges

Once you’ve narrowed things down, it’s time to explore the full Team Challenges, which are available in the DI Resource Area. (Note: Full Team Challenges are available to registered DI teams only.)

Reading through the complete Challenges gives your team a better understanding of exactly what’s involved, and might help everyone feel more connected to one or two favorites.

3. Use the Team Interest Inventory

If you’re still split, try the Team Interest Inventory in Roadmap (also in the Resource Area). This survey helps each team member think through their preferences and identify what excites them most about the season ahead.

4. Break the Tie with Paired Choice Analysis

Sometimes, you’ll still end up with a tie, and that’s okay! The Paired Choice Analysis Worksheet in Roadmap turns preferences into a simple point system. No hard feelings—whichever Challenge scores the most points wins.

5. Start Creating!

Once your team has made the big decision, it’s time to start brainstorming. Share ideas, dream big, and don’t be afraid to try things that might seem wild at first—you never know which spark will turn into your team’s winning idea.

Pro Tip: For more tips, activities, and inspiration throughout the season, check out the rest of our blog and follow us on your favorite social app. We’ll be here cheering you on every step of the way!

The post Choosing Your Team Challenge: Tips for a Great Start to the Season appeared first on Destination Imagination.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to build a practice course right at home or school. Whether you have access to a full workshop or limited space and resources, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s what you can expect from the guide:

• Detailed instructions and diagrams for building the test course
• A list of materials you’ll need
• Tips and tricks for success
• Alternative testing methods for teams with limited space, time, and/or resources

Important to remember:

• All tournaments will provide a Weight Transport Test Course similar to the one shown in the guide and in the Challenge.
• However, we understand that building a full-sized course might not be feasible for every team. That’s why we’ve included alternative testing methods.
• When using alternative methods, it is important to check that several things are consistent with the Challenge.

Ready to get started? Head over to the Resource Area to download the guide.

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Explore Our Generative AI Resources
Visit our Generative AI Resources page (located in the Team Resources section of the Destination Imagination website) to access and review:

• Destination Imagination’s Guiding Principles for Generative AI, which outlines how Generative AI can be used within a Destination Imagination Educational Experience in coordination with the Destination Imagination Pedagogy, as well as information about ethical AI use, transparency and acknowledgment, safety, and equity.
• Information about updates to the Destination Imagination Challenge Experience and Team Film Challenge rules and forms.
• Resources that will help you learn more about Generative AI in general, how to improve your prompt engineering skills, and how to use Generative AI safely and ethically. 

As your team researches more and finds great resources, feel free to send them to us at AskDI@dihq.org! We’re hoping the Generative AI Resources page will grow over time to become a learning resource for teams and volunteers. 

We hope this information will get you started in understanding Generative AI better and using it in ethical and useful ways, while still preserving the human element of learning and creativity in Destination Imagination solutions.

For more details, visit our Generative AI Resources page.

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Instant Challenge is worth 25% of a team’s overall score at a tournament, and a solid Instant Challenge score can help a team significantly—especially if Team Challenge scores are very close.

Instant Challenges encourage students to work together to develop collaborative problem-solving and time management strategies, as well as performance and improvisational techniques. They also help students learn how to think creatively and to evaluate and use different types of materials in innovative ways.

There are three types of DI Instant Challenges: Performance-Based, Task-Based, and a combination of the two.

The focus of a Performance-Based Instant Challenge is on your team working together to create and perform a theatrically-oriented solution for the Appraisers. Your team may be asked to use words, language, conversation, and/or dramatic characterizations to solve the Challenge, or the solution may be nonverbal. Your team may also be asked to manipulate materials and/or use imaginary props in the solution. In this type of Challenge, you may earn points for specific elements of your performance, the overall creativity of your performance, and/or your use of materials.

The focus of a Task-Based Instant Challenge is on your team working together to move, build, change, and/or protect something in order to complete a task. Your team may also be asked to communicate information. In this type of Challenge, you may earn points for how well team members work together to design the solution, the creativity of the solution, the risk involved in the solution, and/or the team’s success in completing the task.

A Combination Instant Challenge includes both performance- and task-based elements.

Because Instant Challenges are kept confidential at tournaments, it’s important for teams to practice all three types of Instant Challenges throughout the DI season.

All registered DI teams have access to our Instant Challenge Practice set, which is located in the Resource Area. There are also a variety of Instant Challenges included in our Roadmap resource for Team Managers, including a few designed to help new teams get acquainted with the Instant Challenge process. Like our Instant Challenge Practice Set, Roadmap is available for registered teams in our Resource Area. And if you’re searching for even more Instant Challenge-like activities, be sure to check out the STEAM activities section on our blog.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that there is no right or wrong way to solve an Instant Challenge. They are intentionally designed to have multiple solutions, which means your team can do the same Instant Challenge over and over again to come up with new ways to solve it.

Teamwork is essential to solving an Instant Challenge. For some children, this concept can be difficult to master, but sustained practice over time can help them improve this skill dramatically.

A great way to improve your team’s Instant Challenge skills is to get in the habit of practicing at least one Instant Challenge at every team meeting. As the Team Manager, you can save time at your meetings by gathering all the necessary materials, if any, ahead of time and setting up a space for your team to work. You may also want to have your team attempt the Instant Challenge more than once to see how alternate ideas can also work.

Check out our YouTube playlist to see a few Instant Challenges in action.

To learn more about Instant Challenge, read our Rules of the Road resource (located in the Resource Area).

For more helpful tips and Instant Challenge-like activities, be sure to follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

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Thirteen years ago, I was asked to manage a Destination Imagination team. I had no experience, no background knowledge, and also do not know how to say ‘no.’ So, I started a team at the Elementary Level. As the years went on, I realized the importance of Destination Imagination and how more students needed the opportunity to participate. There might be more students, but not always Team Managers. For more than eight years now, I have been managing anywhere from 2-5 teams. I have several co-Team Managers, but I am the main point of contact and organization. With that many teams, I have to be ready to be super organized to manage not only teams, but the parents, other Team Managers, and everything that goes along with tournament day.

The three areas that I focus on to prepare for a Destination Imagination tournament are:

• People
• Paperwork
• Materials

People
Since I manage so many different teams, that is lots of parents, team members, co-managers, and other adults that are interested in seeing these students perform. To prepare for a tournament I create a schedule. 

The schedule includes:

• A breakdown of the Team Number, location and time of Team Challenge, location and time of Instant Challenge, and who is specifically in charge of that team (make sure these adults are listed in your registration paperwork!)
• A breakdown of the schedule and locations throughout the whole day. There have been times when I needed parents or other adults to help get students to different locations because I am only one person.

Sharing all of this information! These teams have worked so hard throughout the year and it is important to let others know how they might be able to watch them. I send an email to my whole staff about what our students have been working on and how to support them on the day of competition. I also make sure the parents know all the ins and outs of the day!

Check out my sample schedule here.

Paperwork
I come from the days when we had to bring 6 copies of each piece of paperwork to the competition. I LOVE that we are digital! It makes life so much easier. Even though we are digital, I still make copies to leave with each team and Team Manager. 

Each team has a folder that includes:

• a copy of their team sign with their Team Number on it
• a map of the day
• a copy of the schedule for the day that pertains to our teams
• a copy of all the Team Challenges so they can go see others
• a copy of the Tournament Data Form, Expense Report and also Team Challenge Prep Checklist

Each Team Manager has the above information along with permission forms required by the district.

As the main coordinator, I also carry a 3-ring binder that has all the information for all the teams and anything else that I might need to hold onto. Because you know things get lost! I know that everything is online, but it is helpful for the teams to be in charge of their own paperwork.

Materials
As you know, Destination Imagination teams can have SO MUCH STUFF!!

Each team has a bag (sometimes they might need two). Not only do they have a bag, but EVERYTHING is labeled. There is always going to be something that is forgotten, but having this put together helps.

To stay connected with everyone, we also use GroupMe which has parents in the chat as well. If you use a program like this, it is important to follow your district guidelines and expectations. 

There are lots of other odds and ends that I do to stay organized, but these are my three main ones to get me through the day.

Interested in guest blogging for us? Email us at socialmedia@dihq.org. 

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Educators and Team Managers are often looking for informational videos they can share with their students or team members. This blog post recommended by the STEM Education Coalition from The Tech Edvocate lists several YouTube sites with videos that explain a variety of science concepts. Your team members will enjoy exploring the videos as they begin to plan the solution to their Challenge.

The website, 99designs.com, provides resources for design professionals. Take a look at this blog post that lists 20 video production tutorials. The videos focus on creating a business video, but the techniques will transfer to what DI team members are creating this year. The tutorials mention some free tools to use as well.

Shutterstock is a well-known company that provides stock photography and other resources to design professionals. Their blog post on videography tips lists 9 tutorials that may help your team members as they craft a team-created video solution to their Challenge.

Once your team members’ video is planned and recorded, they may decide it needs editing. If your team members search for video editing tutorials, there are many free tutorials, but they are often for a software program that is expensive. Here are a few links to courses that are not about one specific software program:

• https://www.udemy.com/course/video-editing-101-learn-the-basics-of-video-editing/
• https://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/how-to-edit-video-for-beginners/
• https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/video-editors-kids-easy-to-learn/

Have a fantastic DI season with your team. The Challenges are in a different format this year, but they are still energizing, engaging, and educational! I love them so much that I wish I could go back to being a Team Manager!

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