3 Problem Solving Techniques, Skills & Activities For Kids
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Do you want to teach problem-solving techniques to your child? Are you looking for ways to enhance your child’s skills that may help him think of creative solutions to life’s problems? If yes, then you may find this article on techniques of problem solving for kids useful.
Children begin to apply techniques to solve problems from an early age. Reaching for a toy at the far end of the floor, making friends in the new neighborhood, and navigating the social landscape of adolescence can be big problems for your child during different stages of growing up. Learning to solve his problems using his creativity and other skills is something from which your child can reap life-long benefits.
Kids Problem solving skills can serve him as they grow up and encounter new challenges in life. Read on to know more about problem solving activities for kids.
[ Read: Tips To Develop Positive Thinking In Kids ]
Problem Solving Skills For Kids
1. Creative Solutions:
Skill:
It is a skill to look for creative solutions to life’s challenges. Creative thinking involves coming up with unique ideas to solve a problem and doing something different than following the norm to resolve conflicts.
Techniques:
Encourage your child to look for solutions beyond the obvious. Help him generate ideas to solve a problem using all the resources available.
Activities:
Select a scene from a movie or book your child has read that presents a conflict of a character in the story. Now ask your child to come up with a solution to the problem along with his reasons for the same.
Pretend games are great activities to encourage a child to think creatively. Give him situations such as surviving a storm or brainstorm new ideas that could challenge him to think out of the box.
[ Read: Tips To Improve Concentration In Kids ]
2. Analytical Solutions:
Skill:
It is the skill to analyze a problem from all angles to arrive at the most logical solution for it.
Techniques:
Teach your child to compare and contrast different options and solutions for a problem. Help him identify an apt solution after weighing the pros and cons of each option.
Activities:
Encourage your child to answer open-ended questions. You should ask such questions during doctor visits, gift shopping for a friend, waiting in traffic, etc.
Solve riddles and puzzles together with a timer. Hold family competitions for such activities.
[ Read: Interesting Creative Activities For Kids ]
3. Moral Solutions:
Skill:
It is the skill to solve a problem using one’s sense of right or wrong.
Techniques:
Teaching your child right from wrong is not easy as he might find it hard to agree with your reasoning for a situation. Ask him to offer solutions rather than imposing your solutions on him. Prepare him for real life situations by giving him everyday examples and in time he would develop his sense of moral judgment.
Activities:
Convert real life examples into activities to help your child solve his moral dilemmas. What should he do if he caught his friends cheating during a test? What should he do if he accidently broke a friend’s toy? Offer your perspective (not solutions) once your child has had his say.
[ Read: Ways To Raise Your Child’s Imagination ]
Discuss historical events that present a moral dilemma and ask your child about his opinion. Help him read books on the subject and let him analyze the consequences of big decisions in history. Wars and political standoffs can provide you with plenty of material for this activity.
The best way to teach techniques of problem solving for kids is to encourage him to find solutions. Offer parental perspective and suggestions once he has an answer of his own. Or help him arrive at a solution if he finds the problem too big. But it is best to stay away from spoon feeding him by directly offering him a solution.
How did you teach your child problem-solving techniques? If you know any other problem solving strategies for kids, do share your ideas!
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