Information for Kids and Parents
Download our Parent's Guide PDF.
Introducing MADI to children
What is "DI"?
Destination ImagiNation, Inc. is a non-profit organization offering a creative problem-solving program to kids worldwide. DI emphasizes creativity, problem solving and teamwork. DI offers a team of up to 7 kids open-ended challenges each year to work on. Teams must create solutions that are imaginative, original, divergent and ingenious! Students work together in teams to tackle these challenges under the direction of a team manager.
Team members develop a solution and present it in a performance. The team designs and creates, without adult assistance, all props, costumes and other artistic and technical elements necessary to bring the solution to life. Teams showcase their solutions at tournaments held in March. Top teams go on to a State Finals and the Destination ImagiNation year culminates with a Global Competition. Here the best teams match wits, imaginations and personalities to become world champions. This program is "hands on" for kids and "hands off" for adults.
How to Introduce MADI to Kids
Student & Parent Contract
Students and parents should read and sign our "student & parent contract". It helps show a mutual commitment to MADI.
How Can Parents Help with DI?
- Be a team manager or co-manage a team with another adult.
- Be an instant challenge coach for your child's team.
- Be a volunteer appraiser to represent your child's team at another tournament.
- Help find an appraiser for your child's team.
- Help the team by not scheduling appointments or activities for your child when team meetings are scheduled.
- Assist the team manager at meetings to help keep the team on task.
- Help find resource people to teach the team new skills. i.e. painting, sewing, mechanical design, carpentry, how to apply make up or do hair, etc.
- Come an hour early to pick up your child from meetings and help with clean up.
- Be an audience for practice sessions and cheer the team on. (no suggestions though)
- Help find places for the team to practice.
- Provide times and places for parts of the team to work and practice.
- Read and check the rules to be sure the team is following all of them...even the small ones.
- Help the team send for clarifications or download new ones from the Destination ImagiNation national website.
- Provide transportation for team members to and from meetings, practices, and shopping trips.
- Provide treats and nutritious snacks for the meetings.
- Pick up team requested materials.
- Play instant challenge games with your child at home.
- Help the team with PR to the newspaper, school administrators, or local community.
- Encourage and support the team and team managers.
- Help transport props and costumes to the tournament.
Letter to Parents
Is Your Child Ready for Destination ImagiNation?
"DI" - A Creative Problem Solving Program for all students.
- Does your child love taking things apart? Or putting them together?
- Does your child love performing? Or are they quiet and shy?
- Does your child love asking questions? Or finding answers?
If you answered "YES" to any of these question…your child would benefit from participating on a "DI" team.
Would you be a good Destination ImagiNation Team Member?
- Do you like to create new things?
- Build or design?
- Paint or draw?
- Act or improvise?
- Write or compose?
- Do you look at things differently than others around you?
- Like to work with a team?
- Looking for a something different?
Try Destination ImagiNation!
Come to a meeting to find out what it all about. Bring a friend!
What does it take to be on a DI Team?
- November: Teams form and choose a challenge.
- December: Teams meet once a week to learn problem solving skills and practice teamwork.
- January/ February: Teams may meet twice a week to develop and create their solutions.
- March: Regional Tournaments at various sites, multiple weekends
- April: State Finals at WPI, Worcester
- May: Global Finals at University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Time Commitment:
- During Nov, & Dec., your team will meet once per week after school.
- In January, February and March, teams usually meet twice per week.
- Your attendance at your meetings is MANDATORY. If you can't commit - wait until you can.
- Detentions are not an excuse for missed meetings.
- If you miss unexcused meetings you will be removed from your team.
- To be excused you must:
- Contact your team manager before the meeting is missed
- Bring in a note to verify it was a legitimate absence.
- Additional meetings may be scheduled at school or at a team member's home as tournament time nears.
It is only fair to the team to have everyone try their best to make each meeting.
Eligibility:
DI is open to anyone who wishes to be on a team providing:
- they can maintain good grades in their regular classes.
- they must follow the state and global rules as stated in the Rules of the Road.
- they demonstrate teamwork, good sportsmanship and proper behavior.
- Any team member that becomes a discipline problem, breaks a "DI" rule or hinders the team from solving their challenge may be asked to leave the team.
- they understand that the team manager and DI coordinator have the final word in determining if a team member has met the criteria listed.
- the team member and parent have signed the DI Contract.
We want all team members to have a great experience in DI.
Parents:
- Parents will be invited to an informational meeting to ensure they understand the goals and philosophy of the program. All parents need to understand the "Interference" rules.
- Parents can help the team by providing transportation when needed, act as resource people to teach the team skills, and ensure their child attends the meetings.
- Parents can be important volunteers to help out at the local regional tournament.
- Parents should be a source of support and help cheer the team on.
DI should be FUN! It will be FUN for all if everyone understands the information above and does what is best for the TEAM!
MADI Informational Meeting
- Who runs MADI?
- How does my child get involved?
- How much time does it take?
- What is the parents role in this program?
Get these questioned answered and find out much more at our MADI information meeting. You are invited to find out about the fastest growing educational program offered to Massachusetts students. Come look over this year's 6 new challenges offered. Hear about the tournaments that are held statewide that could showcase your child's creativity.
