Odyssey of the Mind

Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition where teams of students work together to build an original solution to an open-ended challenge — anything from designing a vehicle to staging a theatrical performance, and often a combination of the two! — using only their own ideas, materials, and teamwork. Although parent volunteers “coach” the teams, there’s no adult help allowed with the actual solution. Kids do the brainstorming, building, and troubleshooting themselves, often failing and rebuilding along the way.

Yulupa and Strawberry Elementary Kindergarten-6th grade student teams tackle age-appropriate versions of the challenges and also compete in “spontaneous” problems that test quick thinking on the spot. It’s less about winning and more about learning that weird ideas are worth trying, that mistakes are part of the process, and that even a team of 8-year-olds can pull off something genuinely inventive if you just get out of their way. Programs typically run September through spring, culminating in regional and (for top teams) state or world competitions.

Be on the lookout for fall signups!