You've heard of spelling bees, quiz bowls, robotics competitions and science fairs. In fact, there is probably a special event for every subject taught at school. Well, Destination ImagiNation is none of those things – and all of those things! Destination ImagiNation is a place where kids take what they know and what they are good at and learn to apply it to solve challenges, working together and cooperatively with a team and pushing the limits of imagination to best not their competition, but themselves.

     Destination ImagiNation is a community-based, school-friendly program that builds participants' creativity, problem solving, and teamwork in enjoyable and meaningful ways.

     Teams of five to seven members work together to apply creativity, critical thinking and their particular talents to solve a Team Challenge.

     The Destination ImagiNation Team Challenge is a Challenge that is solved over a period of eight weeks or more. There are five competitive Team Challenges from which teams may choose, each with its own educational focus. Each Team Challenge is designed to be open-ended and solvable in many ways and on many levels.

     Challenge A: Technical/Mechanical
     Challenge B: Theater Arts/Science
     Challenge C: Theater Arts/Fine Arts
     Challenge D: Theater Arts/Improvisation
     Challenge E: Structural & Architectural Design

     There is also one non-competitive Team Challenge, called the Rising Stars! Team Challenge, for preschool and early elementary children.

     There are two parts to the Team Challenge: the Central Challenge and Side Trips. The Central Challenge is a set of required elements that all teams must complete. Side Trips are two additional elements teams create and include in their Presentation.

     The Destination ImagiNation Instant Challenge is a Challenge teams are asked to solve in a very short period of time at their Tournament, without knowing ahead of time what the Challenge will be. Teams go into a room and are given a Challenge and the materials with which to solve it. They use their thinking-on-their-feet skills to produce a solution, usually in a period of five to eight minutes!

From DI 2007:  During this performance, "cast members" popped out from under the "bed."  There was also a fire (paper flames), bringing out the fire truck, complete with hose.  The kids had to plan everything and build what they needed.

The judges reviewed their scoring after each team performed.  Kathy is still working hard, while Terry looks very relaxed and comfortable with his observations.  Brenda, back to the camera, is still thinking about her scores.

When no "number cruncher" volunteers, and the boss (Barb) is busy, the only other one who knows something has to take over.

The judges talked to team members after each performance.  Costumes, all imagined and made by the students, were interesting and infinitely varied.  This girl is wearing a box costume covered with credit cards of all brands.