What is the Importance of Problem-Solving Skills for Kids?

Problem-solving is a skill that should ideally come naturally to humans but we have to learn to perfect it so it can help us in different ways throughout our lives. So, one might want to know what is problem- solving, here are some examples: Critical thinking is one of the most important elements to perfect it, creativity adds the dynamic element to it, decision making is the foundation of it, active listening is the core of problem-solving, collaboration and brainstorming helps us to perfect the skill.

That is exactly why problem-solving skills are important for students to learn. Often people who have a deeper understanding of causality are able to solve problems both individually and even in a group, children become more resilient. Kids learn to look at problems from a new perspective. Therefore, they become capable of taking more calculative risks in life.

The importance of problem-solving skills for a child definitely helps them to use their intuition to be able to weigh their actions and consequences that guide their decisions throughout school and otherwise in life. The problem-solving approach that is used will not be too daunting to start any new work or new tasks, but instead children will have self-belief and a confident problem-solving attitude to initiate anything in life.

Allow children to choose their own activities of choice and games that are based on their interests. Let them play freely which will provide plenty of opportunities to navigate creatively and solve problems. It is known that children often learn best through play so let them set on the path of their life journey by learning and unlearning on their own. What is important is that as parents, we ensure that kids play with things that add value to their development, so playing with items like blocks, and puzzles can teach children the process of problem-solving.                    

Problem-solving plays a vital role in a child’s development. This important skill just does not come up with a solution. Rather, it involves using a child’s creativity which leads to thinking through possibilities, improves their reasoning skills through which the potential of a child improves towards planning, and using logic to address complex issues, problems or even questions.

Since we now know the importance of problem-solving skills here are some ways to teach children better ways to solve problems:

1. Allow children to taste failure.
2. Give your children space to learn by themselves.
3. Encourage a child’s creative play.
4. Make sure a child’s play includes imagination.
5. Take kids outdoors and let them build forts, play with blocks.
6. Teach children obstacle tackling.
7. Always give children choices.
8. Read to them and let them read for themselves about problem-solving.
9. Be hands-on parents but from afar.
10. Make it a ritual to ask your children questions.
11. Let your children ask questions.
12. Give them the opportunity for innovation.

Mentioned above are simple ways to start initiating the problem-solving approach in kids.

To help you better here are some more steps of problem-solving to help kids:

1. Teach kids to identify the problem.
2. Let children think about why a problem exists.
3. Children must be able to brainstorm solutions to the problem.
4. Teach kids to evaluate the concerns and the solutions to a problem.
5. Let kids put the possible solution into action.
6. Children must learn to evaluate the outcome of the problem-solving process.

Here are some great examples for problem-solving skills:

1. Let children research, because researching is an essential skill for kids to learn to be able to relate to the skill of problem-solving.
2. Children must be able to analyze, in doing so kids are able to acquire indefinite skills to solve life’s problems.
3. It is necessary that parents involve children in the decision-making, starting this skill at an early age makes children self-reliant and responsible for their own actions.
4. Communication skill is key to delivering solutions hence working on this skill for children is vital.
5. Do not let children be dependent after a certain age, it is necessary that kids learn things and do things by themselves.
6. Let children acquire more technical knowledge in several fields.
7. Give kids the opportunity to seek out the solutions to a problem to make them independent.
8. Always practice problems and solutions with kids.

Those were just a few examples of problem-solving in early childhood, one could also rely on examples for toddlers such as: letting them resolve a fight over the same thing amongst siblings or friends. Allowing a kid to reach a toy or an item that is stuck somewhere out of their reach. These tips will help a parent to embed the problem-solving skills in a child at a very young stage in life.

Research has proven that problem-solving skills consist of several facets: It helps children to identify and analyze a problem. It allows children to take effective actions. Children are able to understand the effect of their decisions. Kids are able to come up with creative and novel solutions to their problems. It becomes easier for children to transfer knowledge from one situation to another. Children are able to abstractly think about the problems they face.

Well, here are some amazing games and activity that can be added to a child’s daily routine to aid the problem-solving approach:

1. Marble Mazes – This activity requires children to think spatially. Spatial learning benefits children way early by implementing the skills to drive, to ride a bike, and simple things like playing sports.
2. The Tower Challenge – This activity gives kids the chance to think about gravity, structure, and balance which is very important for the development of a child.
3. The Egg Drop Challenge – This activity helps kids to learn how to come up with a solution that will prevent breakage. It promotes critical thinking skills in a child.
4. The Balloon Race Challenge – This activity helps kids to learn about aerodynamics. It requires children to have creative thinking skills.

The problem-solving approach emphasizes on a child’s interests rather than the possibilities, it encourages kids to maintain and build their relationship even if they disagree, rather than creating an antagonistic process.

Here are some common approaches of problem-solving for kids:

Great people such as Francis Bacon, who championed inductive methods, and Buddha, who championed meditative methods, among various people have obtained different approaches to solve problems. Here is an attempt we have made to help you to classify these approaches into four main categories – The system centric, the problem centric, the solution centric, and the solver centric approach. Also, there are three other approaches to solving a problem: being Intuitive, being analytical, and being experimental. So, use these approaches for the benefit of you and your child to learn the importance of problem- solving skills.

Here at EuroSchool, we believe in problem-solving skills and approach but also on the problem-solving attitude, which is pivotal to perfect the skill of solving problems. Kids need to have a healthy argument that helps to negotiate. Working in groups together will help them to determine whether solutions and agreements are made possible by implementing all the elements of the problem-solving approach.