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#1: Dr. Land’s NASA Study 98% of children start as creative geniuses, but only 2% keep that spark into adulthood
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A NASA-backed study found that 98% of 4-5-year-olds test at genius-level creativity. But by adulthood? Less than 2% remain. Not because creativity fades, but because we’re taught to stop using it.
From an early age, kids are trained to follow rules, find the right answer, and play it safe—while creativity thrives in possibilities, not perfection.
Schools teach kids to find the right answer—not new ideas.
Over time, creativity gets replaced with memorization, and curiosity turns into compliance.
🎁 Montessori Practical Life Guide
📜 Blog Post: Children Are Born Creative Genius
Takeaways from This Episode:
"Children are creative geniuses!" confirms the study where Dr. Land and Dr. Jarman tested a diverse group of 1,600 American children, starting when they were 4-5 years old. The study lasted for ten years, and these are the Imaginative Thinking NASA Test Results:
- 4-5 years old: 98% of preschoolers scored at genius level
- 10 years old: 30% scored creative geniuses
- 15 years old: only 12 % scored creative geniuses
- adults: less than < 2 % scored as creative geniuses
This study has shown that we are all born divergent creative thinkers. But something smothers our ingenuity and creativity as time ticks by.
In this episode, we discuss:
00:00 Introduction: The Creative Genius in Every Child
00:13 Meet Anya Garcia: From Attorney to Homeschooling Advocate
01:15 Understanding the Decline of Creativity
02:03 The Science Behind Creativity: NASA's Study
04:31 Divergent vs. Convergent Thinking
07:37 Reviving Creativity: Practical Tips for Parents
13:27 Conclusion: Nurturing Creative Genius
Resources & Links
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🎓 Let’s Do This Together - You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. With over a decade of experience helping parents worldwide, I’ve mastered how to simplify homeschooling to amplify your child’s growth—without the stress or overwhelm.
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📑 Research & References:
- Dr. George Land and Dr. Beth Jarman's Creativity NASA Study (1968)
- Breakpoint and Beyond: Mastering the Future Today (Land & Jarman, 1992)
- TEDxTucson George Land The Failure Of Success (2011)
- Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk: "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" (2006)
- Montessori, M. (1995). The Absorbent Mind (C. A. Claremont, Trans.). Holt Paperbacks.(Original work published 1949)
- Gonen-Yaacovi, G., de Souza, L. C., Levy, R., Urbanski, M., Josse, G., & Volle, E. (2013). The neuroscience of divergent thinking. Acta Psychologica, 148, 25-34.
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