Although they have traditionally been associated with the creative industry, design-thinking and lessons from the creative economy provide sign posts that can help educators and parents address what some observers are calling a "national creativity crisis." This challenge is undoubtedly intertwined with those we face in teaching basic skills (reading, STEM), and critical "new" skills (such as systems thinking and collaboration). If we are to prepare children to be lifelong learners, we should investigate the potential benefits of applying these professional and pedagogical approaches together.