Families work together test their creativity

The 16th Shanghai session of the Odyssey of the Mind competition, which concluded in Shanghai recently, featured around 180,000 families citywide demonstrating their wisdom and creativity and enhancing parent-child relations.

This year's international creative problem-solving competition had eight challenges, including two for seniors.

The family of a student surnamed Ding picked up a challenge about vehicles and designed an device to detect alcohol levels in drivers to prevent drunk driving. When it detects excessive alcohol, the driver will be unable to open the door. Ding said the work was a result of cooperation with not only his parents, but also some of his teachers, and they all enjoyed the process.

Another challenge required participants to build a paper tower as high as possible and able to hold a table tennis ball. The structure needed to stand still independently for at least three seconds. A student surnamed Yan said the challenge tested not only participants' craftsmanship and creativity, but also speed.

The event also featured a challenge required family teams to use AI drawing tools for fashion design and display the costumes in a short show within four minutes. A mother surnamed Zeng said the competition gave full play to advantages of each family member and helped train children in creativity, learning ability and leadership.