When children get stuck on a problem, they often do not need more information—they need a new way to look at it. SCAMPER gives them seven prompts that make “think of something creative” much more concrete.

Each prompt encourages a different kind of change: replace something, combine ideas, adapt an existing solution, modify it, repurpose it, remove part of it, or reverse the usual approach. A child can use one prompt or move through several to generate very different possibilities.

SCAMPER stands for: Substitute • Combine • Adapt • Modify • Put to Another Use • Eliminate • Reverse

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What is SCAMPER?

SCAMPER is a structured brainstorming technique. Instead of asking a child to invent an idea from nothing, it gives them a set of questions that help them transform something that already exists.

The strength of the strategy is that the seven prompts do not all produce the same type of idea. A child who is stuck after one approach can deliberately shift perspective and try another.

S — SubstituteWhat could we replace?
C — CombineWhat could we join together?
A — AdaptWhat existing idea could fit this problem?
M — ModifyWhat could we change, enlarge, shrink, or reshape?
P — Put to Another UseHow else could this be used?
E — EliminateWhat could we remove or simplify?
R — ReverseWhat if we changed the order or did the opposite?

Substitute

Ask what part of the current solution could be replaced by something different. Children can substitute a material, a tool, a person, a rule, a location, or even the purpose of an object.

Example: Bicycle safety at nightInstead of relying only on traditional bicycle lights, imagine replacing the usual visibility solution with a glow-in-the-dark bicycle frame or another material that makes the rider easier to see.

Combine

Combine asks children to merge two or more useful ideas into one. The pieces do not have to come from the same category.

Example: Furniture for a small roomCombine a bed and a workspace by designing a lofted bed with a folding desk underneath. Two separate functions become one space-saving solution.

Adapt

Adapt starts with something that already works and asks how it could be adjusted for a new situation. This helps children see that creativity does not always mean inventing from scratch.

Example: Reducing single-use bottlesTake the familiar idea of a vending machine and adapt it into a refill station for reusable water bottles.

Modify

Modify asks what could be changed about the size, shape, appearance, behavior, speed, or structure of an existing idea.

Example: Online learningInstead of a mostly passive online course, modify the experience by adding interactive challenges, immediate feedback, simulations, or game-like progress.

Put to Another Use

Here the child asks whether an object, resource, or idea could solve a completely different problem.

Example: Extra restaurant foodFood that would otherwise go unused could be redirected to a community-sharing system, discounted pickup program, or local organization.

Eliminate

Creative thinking is not always about adding more. Sometimes removing a step, feature, material, or rule makes the solution better.

Example: Takeout packagingWhat if disposable plastic packaging were removed entirely and replaced with a simpler biodegradable or edible alternative?

Reverse

Reverse asks children to change the order, direction, roles, or usual assumptions in a situation. This is especially useful when every idea feels too familiar.

Example: Encouraging healthy eatingInstead of starting by telling children which foods they should eat, reverse the process: let them prepare and explore the food first, then talk about the choices they made.

SCAMPER Quest: a hands-on activity

This activity works best when the problem is open enough for many possible answers. Paper, a sketchbook, pencils or markers, and a few problem prompts are enough to begin.

Choose a problem

Offer a challenge such as designing transportation for underwater travel, inventing a way to make homework feel more like a game, or creating clothing inspired by animals.

Choose one SCAMPER prompt

Pick a single strategy first. Talk through what the prompt means before trying to solve the problem.

Brainstorm and sketch

Generate several ideas that follow the chosen prompt. Encourage unusual possibilities before judging whether they are practical.

Build a stronger solution

Select one or more ideas and combine or refine them into a more complete concept.

Try a different prompt

Repeat the challenge with another SCAMPER strategy and compare how the new lens changes the answer.

Explain the idea

Have the child present the problem, the strategy used, and how that strategy influenced the solution.

Reflect

Ask which prompt produced the most surprising idea and how changing the question changed the thinking.

Try SCAMPER with a game your child designs

You don’t need coding experience to help your child practice creative thinking. Start with a game they already know, or let them invent one on paper.

Imagine your child wants to create a simple Roblox game where a player explores an island and collects treasure. Rather than deciding what they should build, ask them to choose a SCAMPER prompt and see where it takes their idea.

SubstituteWhat if players collected clues instead of treasure?
CombineCould the game combine treasure hunting with building a shelter?
AdaptIs there a feature from another game your child could redesign for their own idea?
ModifyWhat would happen if the island became smaller or the treasure harder to find?
Put to Another UseCould an ordinary tool become something useful for solving a puzzle?
EliminateWhat if players had to find their way without a map?
ReverseWhat if players hid the treasure and another player had to find it?

Three questions parents can ask

Once your child has an idea, keep the conversation going:

  1. What made you choose that idea? Encourage them to explain their reasoning, even if it isn’t the choice you would have made.
  2. What else could work? Invite a second possibility rather than immediately improving their first one.
  3. How could we test it? Help them find a simple way to discover whether the idea works.

Children can sketch their ideas, describe the rules, build a paper prototype, or try creating something in Roblox Studio or Minecraft.

The goal isn’t to finish a polished game. It’s to give your child a chance to make creative decisions, explore alternatives, and explain what they discovered.

Parent tip: Resist the temptation to supply the best answer. A more useful question is often, “What would you like to try next?”

Why this matters

SCAMPER turns creativity into something children can practice intentionally. Rather than treating creativity as a talent someone either has or does not have, the framework gives children repeatable ways to explore alternatives.

The same habits show up in coding and design work: define the problem, try an approach, observe what happens, change one part, and test again. That makes SCAMPER useful far beyond a single activity.

Want to connect creative thinking to something kids can build?

Explore Create2Discover’s free Roblox and Minecraft resources for hands-on creation activities. The resource comes first; classes are there when your child is ready for more structured instruction.

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About the author

Shawn Walk is the owner of Create2Discover and an experienced educator who has taught technology, coding, game creation, and creative problem solving. His work focuses on helping students understand how things work, make their own choices, and become creators rather than passive users of technology.

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