Swirling thoughts. Sparks of Inspiration. Change is good.
I’m so glad you’re here because I have fun news! August is a big month for this website and I want to tell you all about it. In a few weeks, Swirl and Spark will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary. Ten! How is it possible that I have been blogging here for a whole decade?
In that spirit, it’s the perfect time for reinvention.
I’ve been mulling over something for a long time. Like for several years now. A sliver of idea had worked its way into my head but back then I was way too busy, writing the Crimson Five series, to even give it any energy. I just didn’t have the bandwidth.
So, what is this idea?
Eh, not so fast. I’m a storyteller. remember?
The idea for what this website should ultimately be, followed me around sometimes. It would pop into my head, every once in a while, like a surprising sprinkle of raindrops on a sunny day. But I always wiped any thought of it away. I just didn’t know if I should make the leap or how to implement it. I wasn’t sure it made any sense at all. I thought it might be too small of a niche or just not worth doing at all. But most of all, I wasn’t convinced that I was the right person to cheer about this topic and be a resource for it.
But something happened that made me realize that I could do this. That I should.
Over the winter, I received a message from a middle school Odyssey of the Mind coach. She had stumbled upon my website, specifically my page with tips for the OM program, things like brainstorming, being successful at spontaneous problems, and working as a team. In her message, she revealed that as a first-time coach she was desperate for any advice I could give her on facilitating. In other words, she was looking for tips on how to improve her team’s teamwork skills and how to get her kids thinking and problem solving creatively. And she wasn’t the first to ask me that or the last.
While examining the statistics showing traffic on my site, I found that my books weren’t the only links getting clicks. The Resources page was too. More views than I realized were of my digital downloads (reading and writing docs for kids) and the Odyssey of the Mind page.
That’s when the idea for my website began to take shape and I knew.
I needed to reimagine the idea of swirl and spark.
You may be wondering why my website needs a reimagining. It’s an author site after all and it includes all the important author things. The thing is though, this site was around long before I became an author and it has always felt a little incomplete. There’s a reason I named it swirl and spark and not Jackie Yeager. I guess I always knew I had dreams for this space that included not only creating books and motivating writers to write, but something for kids and educators and coaches and parents too. Back at its inception, the tagline was the site for kids who like to write. Maybe that was a seed that needed to be planted in order for my big idea to take root.
So what will Swirl and Spark look like going forward? It’ll still be my author space—at least until I see a strong need to separate the two. I’ll still share updates of my books and writing and any publishing news. But it will soon also be a creative problem-solving and team building site geared toward anyone who interacts with kids! A resource. A place to find fun & kid-friendly activities and icebreakers.
But why me?
Well, why not? When I think back to the experiences that have gotten me to this point, it all makes sense. Before I was an author, I was an Odyssey of the Mind coach. Before that, I was a reading resource teacher. Before I was a teacher, I was a sales and corporate trainer. Before I was a trainer, I was a mom. Before that, I studied psychology and received my master’s degree in education. And way before that I was a cheerleader, a playwriter, and a kid. In every single role, creative games and the idea of team building snuck its way into my everyday life.
I’m that person who loves team-building games and icebreakers. I love word games and small group activities where there’s a challenge involved—like build a tower out of household objects or create an object that can double as something else. I think that improving teamwork skills in children is the key to solving many of the issues that face people today.
That’s why I’m taking up this mantel of indirectly encouraging kids to be creative problem-solvers and strong teammates.
I think its hugely important for people of all ages to chase their dreams. That hasn’t changed! But I also realize that nothing incredible can happen without the support of other people. There are many people who, for one reason or another, have not formed strong bonds with others or even one person. Do you remember the dreaded group projects in school? Maybe if we truly encourage kids when they are young to see that they may not like everything about the person they’re working with but they will like something about them if they look hard enough. That’s where my passion for teambuilding activities stems from. Not only are they fun, but they serve an important purpose.
But the truth is, I miss cheering for a team. I miss the energy and enthusiasm that comes from inspiring one. So now I’m here to cheer for yours!
In honor of Swirl & Spark’s 10th Anniversary, all month I will be showcasing and uploading team-building activities and Odyssey of the Mind spontaneous-inspired problems and tasks. They’re perfect for teams of any kind, not just Odyssey of the Mind. Do you coach soccer or volleyball or run a camp? Take a peek. Are you a teacher looking for ways to turn your classroom into a solid team of learners? You’ll find large scale group activities and quick verbal tasks that can get kids thinking creatively and working together. Are you a parent with bored kids or a homeschool teacher? Most of these activities can be done with several kids but also customized for a few. All are designed to energize kids and create motivated, creative problem-solvers who can work well with others—and thrive in group settings. Kids all have their strengths. In a team setting those strengths can and should be celebrated!
For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing to the blog some of my favorite team builders that can be done inside or out. After that, I’ll be highlighting some amazing small team tasks—otherwise known as Odyssey of the Mind spontaneous problems. By August 16th, the actual anniversary date, I’ll upload a large batch and give them a permanent space on the site. But I have no plans to stop there. There are so many of these fun activities that I’m dying to share with you. Hopefully this space will become a great resource. Feel free to mention it to anyone you think would be interested.
For the first team builder, I thought I’d share one that plays a pivotal role in Spin the Golden Light Bulb. It’s called the Human Pretzel. Kia, Ander, Mare, Jax, and Jillian loved it. They struggled with it at first but then mastered it by the end of the book. I hope your team does too! Keep reading and click on the link below to learn more about it!
