Setting Up Constraints to Inspire Creative Thinking

One of my favorite STEM challenges—hands-on problem-based activities designed to build students’ critical thinking and perseverance—tasked students with building the tallest freestanding platform possible to support a pom-pom using only the materials provided.

Every year, as soon as the challenge began, the questions started: “Can we have more tape?” and “What if we need another index card?” The answer was always no—students purposefully had limited supplies and time. 

At first, many of them got frustrated. They were convinced they needed more materials to be successful. But once they got started, they began sketching ideas, testing them out, and then revising their designs. As problems emerged, they began to ask new questions, reconsidered their approach, and discovered solutions they hadn’t initially considered.

Experiences like this changed the way I think about creativity in STEM classrooms. Like many educators, I initially assumed creativity thrives when students have unlimited options. However, these experiences taught me that some of the most creative thinking emerges when students have clear boundaries to work within.

Engineers, programmers, and other STEM professionals rarely have unlimited budgets, materials, or time. Every project involves criteria and constraints. In fact, Next Generation Science Standards engineering standards specifically ask students to consider both when developing solutions to problems. With this in mind, I looked for ways to introduce constraints in my STEM classroom to promote creativity.

4 CONSTRAINTS THAT INVITE CREATIVE THINKING

The following four types of constraints can help you create the kind of learning experiences that get students thinking differently as they approach STEM challenges.

1. Material constraints. One of the simplest ways to increase creativity is to limit the available materials. During our pom-pom tower activity, students could only use the supplies I provided. I’ve used similar material constraints in bridge-building activities, zipline racer challenges, and Rube Goldberg projects as well.

When introducing a material constraint, it is important to be very clear and consistent with students: Whatever the rules are, make them clear from the start and stick to them.

Students will likely ask if they can use something different—tape, more paper, scissors—but the creative thinking comes when students can’t get anything else. Instead, they have to think beyond the most obvious solution to their problem and try something new. That’s why it is important to stick to your rules as opposed to letting students use whatever they want to approach a problem.

2. Time constraints. Adding a timer can completely change the dynamic of a STEM challenge. When students know they have only 10 or 15 minutes to create something, they often stop searching for the perfect solution and soon jump into testing ideas. I’ve found that shorter timelines frequently lead to more revision and refinement because students are willing to experiment, fail, and revise instead of endlessly planning, and they nudge students to focus on progress rather than perfection.

In my classroom, I’ve seen this in action: Students who would normally be slow to start are forced to jump right in. This means they have to think on the fly and get creative with their decisions and actions.

3. Budget constraints. Another constraint I like to introduce when engaging students in a STEM challenge is a budget constraint. I create a classroom materials store, where everything—craft sticks, tape, cardboard, cups—has a price, and give students a budget to purchase the materials they want to use. Sometimes, certain materials are unavailable until later in the challenge, or the store is only open at specific times. These added constraints force students to think strategically about how and when to spend their budget.

Students quickly begin discussing trade-offs, prioritizing resources, and adapting their designs when they discover they can’t afford everything they want. Without realizing it, they are engaging in many of the same decision-making processes used in real engineering projects.

4. Process constraints. Not all constraints involve materials or products. Instead, the constraint can focus on the process itself. Students might be required to sketch a design before building, test a prototype before making revisions, or ensure that every group member contributes an idea before construction begins. I’ve even required teams to stop midway through a challenge and explain their thinking to another group or to me before being allowed to continue working.

These constraints slow students down just enough to encourage reflection and intentional decision-making. Often, students end up with a different final project than their initial idea, leaning on their creative thinking throughout the constrained process.

USING CONSTRAINTS IN YOUR STEM CHALLENGES

Of course, constraints do not guarantee the success of the project, nor are they always met with enthusiasm. Some of the most memorable STEM lessons I’ve taught involved structures that collapsed, vehicles that refused to move, designs that simply failed, or students who thought they couldn’t do it because of the constraints.

It can be tempting to rescue students when they encounter those moments of struggle. But this struggle itself becomes part of the learning. I can still picture students gathered around a fallen pom-pom tower, trying to figure out why it failed and what they could do differently. Those conversations were often more valuable than the final structure. Students were learning to revise ideas, persist through frustration, collaborate with peers, and view failure as information instead of defeat.

The next time you’re planning a STEM challenge, consider giving students a little less instead of a little more. Limit the materials, add a timer, introduce a budget, include a design requirement, or build a process that encourages reflection.

When students learn how to work within boundaries, they develop skills that extend far beyond a single STEM challenge. In many cases, the very limitations that seem frustrating at first become the catalyst for new ideas.