Top 3 Ways to Improve Problem Solving Skills of Kids

Most parents teach kids to use instant solutions for their problems in our fast-paced world, like calling mom for help. While they do not want to remove phones from their children’s lives completely, it is important to utilize activities that can develop their problem-solving skills.

Problem-solving skills are something we have to begin developing in childhood. This is a very important skill that can help children in the future, especially when we are dealing with problems or difficulties in life.

So here are three that you can develop the problem-solving skills of your kids so that they can face future problems courageously.

1. Encourage your child to play games like chess, Sudoku, and crossword puzzles

The most common way to improve problem-solving skills is by playing games. Games are an effective tool for kids to build their problem-solving skills. According to scientific studies, some games like video games improve both the learning and social skills of your kids.

Kids love playing games, and these can be a great way to help them improve their mathematical intellect.

There are plenty of fun games that kids can play that are educational and boost their problem-solving skills.

Chess is one such game that has been around for years, and it helps build the problem-solving skills of kids. It is a two-player strategy game played on a chessboard with 64 squares arranged in an 8×8 grid.

The goal of this game is to checkmate the opponent’s king by threatening it with capture. The king cannot be moved into check or checkmated, which would cost you the game. Chess also helps in enhancing the memory power of children.

Sudoku is another popular game for developing problem-solving skills in children. This game requires players to fill the 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, row, and each 3×3 section contains all of the digits from 1 to 9.

This game does not require any mathematical knowledge, but it does need logical thinking for placing numbers correctly in the grid so that they fulfill all the criteria mentioned above.

You can as well give them toys like STEM toys to play with and let them develop useful skills, especially in areas of their future careers. These toys are more focused to widen their curiosity and help them have better learning skills.

2. Provide opportunities for your child to work as part of a team or group and on their own

Children often rely on adults too much when completing an assignment or project, even if it is something they could easily handle. As a parent, try to encourage your child to complete simple tasks independently before jumping in and taking over the project yourself.

When working together on a project, try not to take over the show but instead allow your child to lead the charge while you provide guidance and support where needed.

Please encourage your child to ask questions and answer them. Questioning helps children make sense of the world around them, and it also encourages children to think critically and creatively.

You both must ask and answer questions with your children. Please help your child understand how they can solve problems by themselves and with others.

For example, if they are arguing with their sibling over what color paper they are going to use for a project, talk through different solutions with them, such as cutting the paper into two pieces so that each gets half of the paper or drawing on different sides of the paper so that they can both use it.

3. Give them challenges that are fun and non-routine

Instead of making everything easy for your child, give them fun challenges that are non-routine and require them to think on their feet. For example, getting dressed should be a challenge your child regularly faces — selecting different clothes instead of wearing the same thing every day.

You can also give your child a challenge, such as picking out fruits or vegetables they want to eat for lunch or dinner if they are old enough to make these choices.

Try getting them involved in extracurricular activities like sports, dance, or art classes; these activities will teach your child how to work well with others and learn how to be flexible when things don’t go their way.

When introducing a new challenge to your child, set a time limit and encourage your child to find multiple solutions to it.

Once they have found all possible solutions, show them the best way to solve them and explain why it was the best solution. This method will teach your child that sometimes there is more than one way to solve a problem.

We learn best by doing and engaging with real-life situations, but sometimes it’s not easy to communicate our problems to others, and this is where we can step in.

One of the best ways to teach your child problem-solving skills is through easy game-like activities that have the potential to foster a child’s critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, creativity, and build their confidence.

As a parent, it is necessary that you guide your children on how to tackle and solve their problems, apart from solving them for them. This way, they would know how to solve a problem when faced with it again.

Using the above three ways can improve your kids’ problem-solving skills and their quality of life.