year 8 problem solving activities

17 Fun Problem Solving Activities for Kids

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As a child, I would spend hours putting together puzzles… whether it was 3-D puzzles or figuring out a crossword. I also loved it when teachers would give the class an open-ended question and we had to work in groups to figure out the answer in our own way.

Even something as simple as playing checkers with my brothers gave me the chance to use strategy as a way to win the game. I honestly believe that it’s so important for kids to solve problems at a young age, as it helps them think critically and outside the box.

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So, Why Is It Important To Teach Kids Problem Solving?

I think these kinds of activities are so important for kids to do because it helps them learn how to think analytically and solve problems on their own. It's a great way to get kids to use their imaginations and be creative.

Rote memorization simply does not have the same effect. This type of learning is great for learning facts like historical dates, but it’s not going to help kids figure out how events in history happened and the results.

We take these problem-solving skills into college, the workforce, and travel . My ability to problem solve since childhood has certainly got me through many sticky situations while in a new city or country.

Additionally, problem-solving helps children learn how to find creative solutions to challenges they may face both in and out of the classroom . These activities can also be fun and used in cohesion with school or playtime.

17 Fun Problem-Solving Activities for Kids

1. marble mazes.

This activity was selected because it requires them to think spatially. Spatial learning will benefit kids when they start driving, riding a bike, playing sports,etc.

To do this activity in its simplest form, you will need a piece of paper, a pencil, and some marbles. First, draw a maze on a piece of paper using a pencil.

Make sure to create a start and finish point. Then, place the marbles at the start of the maze. The goal is to get the marbles from the start to the finish by tilting the paper and using gravity to guide the marbles through the maze.

Another example of a marble maze can involve using toilet paper rolls taped together to create a three-dimensional maze. The larger the maze, the harder you can make it.

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If you are not into the DIY method, you can always buy a toy maze on Amazon. A good 48 piece puzzle is the Melissa & Doug Underwater Ocean Floor puzzle.

2. The Tower Challenge

Building a tower gives kids the chance to think about gravity, structure, and balance.

To do this activity, you will need some building materials like legos, blocks, or even toilet paper rolls. The challenge is to see how high they can stack the materials without the tower toppling over.

This can be done individually or in teams. An activity like this is good for younger kids and is the building block to learning about harder topics like engineering.

3. The Egg Drop Challenge

The egg drop challenge helps kids learn how to engineer a solution that prevents something from breaking. It requires them to think critically about which materials will best protect something fragile like an egg when dropped from a height.

To do this activity, you will need some eggs and various materials such as straws, cotton balls, bubble wrap, etc. The goal is to construct a device that will protect an egg from breaking upon impact.

This can be done individually or in teams . Teams can even have a competition for the best egg drop device.

As children begin handling, shopping for, and cooking their own food, activities like this will help them understand how to handle breakable items like bottles, eggs, delicate fruit,.etc. Ideally, this is best for age groups 8 and up.

4. The Penny Drop Challenge

This activity was selected because it requires kids to think about physics and how different materials affect sound.

To do this activity, you will need a penny ( or another coin), a cup, and various materials such as paper towels, cotton balls, etc.

The goal is to drop the penny into the cup without making any noise. Begin by placing different materials into the cup and then drop the penny into it. The children should also drop the penny from different heights into the same material to see if/how the impact from a higher drop affects sound.

Group kids into teams or let them try it on their own.

Kids should make note of what type of sounds are made when the penny hits different materials. This is a great activity for kids who are interested in science and physics.

5. The Balloon Race Challenge

This activity was selected because it helps kids learn about aerodynamics and Bernoulli’s principle . It also requires them to think creatively about how to design a balloon-powered vehicle.

To do this activity, you will need balloons, straws, masking tape, and markers. The goal is to design a balloon-powered vehicle that can travel a distance of at least 10 feet. Kids can begin this activity by sketching out their designs on paper.

After they have a basic design, they can begin building their vehicle from various materials. Then kids can explain why they think the balloon traveled or did not travel as far as it did.

6. The Marshmallow Challenge

Marshmallows are not only delicious, but they are also soft and malleable. So kids can have fun using it for some construction projects.

This activity was selected because it requires kids to think creatively about how to build a structure using limited materials. It also helps them learn about engineering and work as a team.

To do this activity, you will need marshmallows and spaghetti noodles. The goal is to build the tallest free-standing structure possible using only marshmallows and spaghetti noodles. If you don't have spaghetti noodles, use something similar like pretzel sticks.

You may even want to establish certain rules like each team can only use a certain number of marshmallows or noodles. A time limit can also make it more fun and challenging.

For more fun activities, check out our post on problem solving exercises for team building .

7. The Balloon Pop Challenge

If you remember your childhood, you probably remember popping balloons for fun at times. But this activity is different because it requires kids to use strategy and critical thinking.

This activity was selected because it helps kids learn about patterns and problem-solving. It is also a lot of fun for kids who like popping balloons. The goal is to create a device that will allow them to pop a balloon without using their hands.

To do this activity, you will need balloons and various materials such as straws, string, paper clips, etc.

8. Picture Pieces Puzzle Game

As mentioned earlier, puzzles are a great pastime – especially in childhood. Kids must think critically about how to put the pieces together to create a certain picture. It also helps them learn about shapes, colors, and other concepts.

You can take a medium to large picture and cut it into pieces. If you have younger kids, you may want to make the pieces larger. However, if you have kids closer to the 8-11 age range, you should be able to provide a challenge and make the pieces smaller.

9. Copy the Block Model

For this challenge, you can build a model out of blocks for the kids to copy. Put kids into groups and make sure each group has the same number of blocks you used for your model.

Make your model block as simple or complex as needed for your child's age group.

Set a time limit and make sure each group starts at the same time.

10. Team Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is great for kids because they have to search for items and use investigative skills. It is also a lot of fun and can be done both indoors and outdoors .

To do this activity, you will need to create a list of items for the kids to find. The items can be anything from common household items to things you would find outside.

These types of activities can also revolve around a theme like a holiday, movie, or book. For example, if the kids are fans of “Harry Potter” you can make a list of items to find that are related to the movie.

11. Obstacle Course

This activity requires kids to think creatively about how to get from one point to another while maneuvering around obstacles. If you have outdoor space, this can be done with common objects such as hula hoops, cones, etc.

If you don't have access to an outdoor space, you can use common household items to create an indoor obstacle course. For example, you can use chairs, blankets, pillows, etc.

Begin by setting up the course and then timing each child as they complete it. You can also have them race against each other to make it more fun.

Obstacle courses are also great because kids get to be physically active while they are thinking critically.

12. Reading Storybooks

There are many great benefits for kids that read storybooks.  One of the excellent benefits is the ability to problem-solve.  When they read the stories in the books, they see scenarios that cause them to be attached to the various characters they read about. 

So, when they encounter a real-life problem, it is often productive to ask a child how their favorite character would solve that problem.  Your kids can also be encouraged to come up with various options and possible outcomes for some of the situations they may encounter. 

This not only helps kids solve various problems but become more independent as well. 

13. Ask Them Open-Ended Questions

A good way to improve a child's ability to think critically and creatively and improve their ability to solve problems is by asking open-ended questions.  It also helps them to develop healthy personalities .

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions.  In addition, the solution requires more than a simple “yes” or “no” answer.  Furthermore, it allows kids to put some extra thought into their responses. 

Here are some examples of open-ended questions you may want to ask. 

• What did this experience teach you?
• Was this easy?  What was easy about it?
• What this difficult?  What is complicated about it?
• What may happen next in this situation?
• How did you come to this solution?
• What, if anything, would you do differently next time?
• What can we do to make things more fun next time?

14. Build Various Structures with Toys

Whether wooden blocks, LEGO blocks, or engineering blocks… giving your kid blocks to build whatever their minds can dream up is fun.  In addition, it requires them to think about how they will make a structure, put the pieces together, and creatively ensure the building's function and design. 

You may also want to challenge them to build something more complicated and watch them use their brain power to make it happen. 

15. Acting Out Skits

Impromptu activities like acting out skits help kids identify problems, develop solutions, and execute them.  This process works with multiple kids being divided into teams. 

First, you will want to write down different situations, such as resolving a disagreement between siblings or dealing with bullying on the playground on a piece of paper.  Second, you will fold the paper and place it in a hat or bowl.  

Third, each team will pick a scenario out of the hat.  Finally, you can give the kids a few minutes to discuss their solution and act out. 

16. Solving Moral Dilemmas   

In this simple game, you will help your kids solve simple dilemmas they may find themselves in.  You could write down a situation your child may find themselves in and help them learn the moral way to solve the problem.   

For instance, “The cashier gave them an additional $5 change back on my purchase.  What should they do?”  Another scenario could be, “I saw my friend cheating on a test.  Should I tell on them or let it go?”  A third one could be, “I caught my friends stealing some gum from the store.  What should I do?” 

After writing down the dilemmas and placing them in a bowl, get each child to select one and read it aloud.  Finally, you will help them devise morally correct solutions to the moral dilemma. 

17. Animal Pairing Game  

This is a fun and creative game to help your kids with focus, critical thinking, and team building skills .  In addition, this activity requires an even number of players to participate (4, 6, 8, etc.) 

Before starting the game, you will want to write the names of different animals twice, each on a separate slip of paper.  Then pass out the slips of paper to each individual or team member, instructing them not to share with anyone the name of the animal they received. 

Then the children will perform activities the animals might do without talking or making sounds.  Some of these activities might include:

• The way the animal cleans or grooms itself
• The way the animal sleeps
• The way the animal fights
• The way the animal eats or drinks
• The way the animal walks or runs

The goal is for each child to successfully pair up with the other child who has selected the same animal.

How Problem Solving in Childhood Helps in Adulthood

Children are not born with problem-solving skills. It is something that needs to be learned and developed over time .

From babies who learn how to communicate their needs to toddlers who figure out how to get what they want, to children who are starting to understand the consequences of their actions – problem-solving is a process that begins in childhood and continues into adulthood.

Some of the benefits of teaching problem-solving skills to children include:

• Improved critical thinking skills
• Better decision-making skills
• Enhanced creativity
• Improved communication and collaboration skills
• Increased confidence

There are many ways to teach problem-solving skills to children. The activities mentioned above are just a few examples. It is important to find activities that are appropriate for the age and abilities of the child.

With practice, children will develop these skills and be better prepared to face challenges in both childhood and adulthood.

Final Thoughts About Fun Problem Solving Activities For Kids

These are just a few ideas to get you started on teaching your child crucial problem solving skills. Perhaps they’ve inspired to come with some of your own, or seek out others? The important thing is to make sure the activity is age-appropriate and challenging enough to engage the kids.

Problem-solving skills are important for kids to learn because they can be applied to various situations in life. These skills also promote critical thinking, which is an important life skill.

There are many other problem-solving activities for kids out there. In time, you’ll find the ones that work best for your child.  And be sure not to forget about your own needs and self-improvement, both of which will make you a better parent and mentor. Here are some useful activities for adults to get your started.

Finally, if you want to level up your parenting skills, then check out this resource that will show you how to get your kids to listen WITHOUT yelling, nagging, or losing control .

A Blog About Parenting: Coping Skills, Behavior Management and Special Needs

25 Fun Problem Solving Activities for Kids

Problem-solving activities for kids : Explore 24 fun problem-solving games and activities, and learn effective tips and strategies to teach kids problem-solving skills. If you want to explore problem-solving strategies more in-depth, you can also grab our workbook “ Problem-Solving for Kids ” (printable resource).

Problem-solving is the cognitive process of finding solutions to challenges or complex situations.

A systematic approach to problem-solving tends to include defining the problem, gathering information and data, generating potential solutions, evaluating the pros and cons of each solution, making a decision, and implementing the chosen solution.

Effective problem-solving often requires critical thinking, a good dose of creativity, and the ability to consider multiple perspectives. It may also involve identifying patterns, breaking down a problem into manageable chunks, and applying our logic to develop solutions.

Problem-solving is present in everyday situations and across all fields: business, science, personal life, and education. There is not one single aspect in our lives where we don’t need to apply our problem-solving skills.

Table of Contents

• Problem-solving steps
• Development of problem-solving in childhood
• Benefits of developing problem-solving skills
• 10 Tips to teach kids problem-solving skills
• 10 Examples of problem-solving strategies
• 25 Problem-solving activities and games for kids

Problem-Solving Steps

Some key components of problem-solving include:

• Identifying the problem Recognizing and defining the issue or challenge that needs to be addressed.
• Analyzing the problem Investigating and understanding the underlying causes, factors, and relationships related to the problem.
• Generating solutions Generating potential solutions or strategies to address the problem.
• Evaluating all possible solutions (Pros and Cons Analysis) Assessing the feasibility, effectiveness, and potential consequences of each solution. Considering the positive and negative aspects of each solution.
• Decision-making Selecting the best solution based on our analysis and judgment.
• Implementing the best solution Actioning our chosen solution
• Monitoring progress and results
• Reflecting on the outcomes Reviewing and evaluating the outcomes of the implemented solution, learning from the experience, and making adjustments if necessary.

Development of Problem-Solving Skills in Childhood

Children begin to develop problem-solving skills from a very early age, and these skills continue to develop and refine throughout childhood and adolescence.

Babies soon learn about action and reaction. And, as early as eight months, they begin to acquire an understanding of cause and effect (they shake a rattle, it makes a sound; they push a toy, it falls)

Between 13 and 24 months, they start solving simple problems through trial and error and engage in symbolic play using their imagination.

As children progress into middle childhood (ages 7-11), they develop more advanced problem-solving skills. They become capable of understanding multiple perspectives and can consider multiple factors when solving problems. They start using logic and reasoning to solve increasingly complex problems.

During adolescence (ages 12 and up), problem-solving skills continue to develop. Teenagers can generate and test hypotheses and use deductive and inductive reasoning to arrive at solutions.

Each child will develop their problem-solving skills at their own pace. Some children may show advanced problem-solving abilities at an earlier age. Others may require more time and experience to develop these skills fully.

Benefits of Developing Problem-Solving Skills in Children

Problem-solving skills in children are crucial for children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. It equips them to approach challenges, think critically, make informed decisions, and find creative solutions. 

The benefits of good problem-solving skills in children include:

• Positive impact on self-esteem and confidence Identifying, analyzing, and solving their problems contributes to our kids’ sense of competence .
• Fosters Independence and Autonomy When our kids are able to problem-solve on their own, they take one more step toward independence
• Academic Success Problem-solving skills contribute to academic achievement, as they help students analyze and solve complex problems across various subjects.
• Cognitive Development Problem-solving fosters cognitive skills such as logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and abstract reasoning.
• Critical Thinking Problem-solving enhances critical thinking abilities, enabling children to evaluate information, identify biases, and make informed judgments.
• Creativity Problem-solving promotes creativity by encouraging children to think outside the box, generate innovative ideas, and explore multiple solutions.
• Emotional Resilience Problem-solving skills enhance emotional resilience by enabling children to manage and cope with challenges effectively, reducing stress and promoting well-being.
• Improved Social Interactions/Relationships Problem-solving abilities contribute to better social interactions, conflict resolution , and peer collaboration, promoting healthy relationships.
• Future career success Problem-solving skills are highly valued in the workplace and can positively influence future career success.

10+ Helpful Tips to Teach Kids Problem-Solving Skills

Teaching problem-solving skills to kids is an important part of their cognitive development. It helps them develop critical thinking, creativity, and resilience.

But how can we help our kids and students to develop this essential skill?

We can help our kids and students develop and improve their problem-solving skills in many ways.  These are some helpful tips that you could consider:

• Model problem-solving behavior When you see yourself in a problem-solving situation, verbalize your thought process: “I wonder how I should address this issue. I guess my alternatives could be… They all have positives and negatives….”
• Let them participate in the problem-solving situation “Could you help me solve this puzzle?”
• Provide real-life problem-solving situations Real-life scenarios make problem-solving more meaningful for kids. For example, discuss how to resolve a conflict with a sibling or how to make the morning routine smoother.
• Teach them how to break down problems Show them how to break down complex problems into manageable sub-problems.
• Practice brainstorming Create brainstorming situations where all the family (or the classroom) can contribute to solving a problem
• Teach the value of perseverance Sometimes, we must stick to a situation and persevere before finding a solution. Encourage kids to persevere through challenges and setbacks, emphasizing that mistakes and failures are opportunities for learning.
• Encourage critical thinking Encourage kids to analyze situations, consider different perspectives, and evaluate possible outcomes.
• How could we make your school lunch healthier but still yummy?
• How could we reuse/recycle all this paper?
• What could we do to help you remember all the steps in your night routine?
• Encourage reflection When they can find a solution for a problem, don’t jump to solve it for them. Encourage them to reflect on the problem and find and evaluate alternatives. And after a problem is solved, think about the whole process and the learnings. “How did this work?” “What did you learn” “Do you need to change anything?”
• Foster creativity Provide them with opportunities for imaginative play, creative projects, and brainstorming sessions.
• Teach the value of teamwork Teach kids the importance of working together to solve problems. Engage them in group activities or projects that require teamwork and collaboration. This helps kids learn the value of different perspectives and work together towards an objective while they practice their communication skills.
• Teach decision-making skills Teach kids how to approach problems systematically by going through the steps we have mentioned in our first section.
• Encourage both structured and free play. Structured play can help you create good problem-solving situations, while free play will foster creativity.

Developing problem-solving skills is an ongoing process that will also continue in adulthood. Provide your kids with guidance and support, and celebrate their efforts and achievements along the way.

10 Examples of Problem-Solving Strategies

There are different strategies that can help us solve a wide range of problems. Here are some commonly recognized problem-solving strategies:

1 . Trial and Error : This is the first problem strategy that we ever learn. We start using trial and error strategies in infancy, and it continues serving its purpose in many situations. This strategy involves trying different solutions or approaches and learning from the errors or failures until a successful solution is found.

2. Algorithm: An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure or a set of rules that guarantees a solution to a specific problem. It is a systematic approach to problem-solving that follows a predetermined set of instructions.

3. Heuristics: Heuristics are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that help simplify problem-solving by providing quick and efficient strategies. While heuristics can be effective in many situations, they may also lead to biases and errors.

4. Divide and Conquer: This strategy involves breaking down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable chunks or steps that make the overall problem easier to tackle.

5. Working Backwards: This strategy involves starting from the desired outcome and working backward to determine the steps or actions needed to reach that outcome. We often use this problem-solving strategy when we set goals.

6. Analogical Reasoning: Analogical reasoning involves drawing parallels between the current problem and a similar problem that has been solved in the past. By applying the solution from the previous problem to the current one, individuals can find a solution more efficiently.

7. Brainstorming: Brainstorming gets lots of brains working on the same problem. It is a great collaborative problem-solving strategy that can bring different perspectives and experiences to the table and may result in lots of creative ideas and solutions. 

8. Decision Matrix: A decision matrix is a systematic approach to evaluating and comparing different options or solutions. It involves creating a matrix that lists alternatives and the criteria for evaluation. It assigns weights or scores to each criterion to come up with the optimal alternative.

9. Root Cause Analysis: Sometimes, we need to understand what is causing a problem before we can attempt to solve it, as different causes may require different approaches (for example, when you are sick, your doctor may need to understand what is causing the problem before prescribing a medicine)

10. Simulation and Modeling: Simulation involves creating a simplified representation or model of a problem situation to gain insights and test different scenarios.

Our choice of strategy will depend on the problem, available resources, and our own personal preferences and circumstances. We may also need to combine strategies or apply different ones to different aspects of a complex problem.

(Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. You can also read our Disclosure & Disclaimer policy  here )

Best Problem-Solving Activities for Kids

Play-based activities are centered around play and are designed to engage children in active learning and exploration. And fun problem-solving activities are a great way to develop children’s critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making skills.

In this section, we will review some problem-solving games and activities that will engage your kids’ critical-thinking skills and creativity.

1. Puzzle Games Puzzles are a fun activity for children of all ages. Young children will enjoy simple puzzles, while older children (and adults!) can have fun with more complex ones. Encourage them to use logical thinking and problem-solving strategies to complete the puzzles.

2. Crosswords A crossword is another fun type of puzzle and a good source of mental stimulation.

3. Sudoku Sudoku is a popular logic-based puzzle that involves filling a grid with numbers.

It can be extremely easy or very challenging, adaptable even for young learners.

Let’s go now for a couple of building challenges!

4. Build the Tallest Tower Give the child a set of materials (Legos, building blocks, wooden blocks, or other construction materials) and ask them to build the tallest tower they can. This simple game will encourage them to problem-solve as they build and figure out how to make the tower stable.

5. Build Towers with Different Materials Ask your child to build three different towers with different materials. Then assess how stable they are and how much weight they can hold. Analyze the pros and cons of using each type of material.

6. Treasure Hunt Set up a treasure hunt with clues leading to hidden objects or rewards. Children will have to follow the clues and solve puzzles to find the ultimate prize. This activity encourages problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork.

7. Scavenger Hunt Playing Scavenger Hunt can be a fun way for our kids to put their creative problem-solving skills to good use. Provide them with clues and puzzles that they must solve in order to find the next clue.

8. Mystery Bag Fill a bag with random objects and ask children to come up with creative uses for each item. Encourage them to think outside the box and find innovative solutions.

9. Memory Game While memory games primarily focus on memory retention and recall, they can indirectly contribute to problem-solving skills by developing cognitive abilities such as attention, information processing, and adjusting their strategies.

10. Role-Playing Scenarios Create role-playing scenarios where children have to solve a problem or make decisions. For example, pretend to be stranded on a desert island and ask them to decide what items they will take and how they will survive.

11. Role-Play Social Situations Work in developing social skills with social problem-solving situations.

12. Brainstorming Sessions Choose a topic or problem and hold brainstorming sessions where children can generate as many ideas as possible. Encourage them not to limit themselves (even if alternatives feel unfeasible!)

13. Team Building Activities and Games Engage children in team-building games like building a balloon tower. Each team member will need to collaborate, communicate, and problem-solve together to complete the project.

14. Escape Rooms An escape room is a super fun team problem-solving activity.

In an escape room, participants are locked inside a themed room and must work together to solve puzzles, find clues, and accomplish tasks within a given time limit in order to “escape” from the room.

15. Science Experiments Conduct simple science experiments that involve problem-solving. For example, in the classic “sink or float” experiment, children predict and test which objects will sink or float in water.

Problem-Solving Board Games

There are many board games that will test our kids problems solving activities. These are just a few examples:

16. Cluedo Players must solve a murder mystery by deducing the murderer, the weapon used, and the location of the crime. Players collect and examine clues to eliminate possibilities and make logical deductions.

17. Codenames Another classic game where players are split into two teams and must guess words based on clues from their teammates.

There are many codenames games available, including themes like Disney or Harry Potter.

18. Mastermind Game In this strategy game players take turns setting and solving secret codes

19. Scrabble Scrabble is a classic word game where players form words on a game board using letter tiles.

Kids must use their problem-solving skills to analyze the available letters, consider the best word combination and strategically place those words to score the highest points.

Learning Problem-Solving with Card Games

Card games provide opportunities for kids to develop problem-solving skills such as strategy, memory, pattern recognition, decision-making, and observation.

Just a couple of examples:

20. Uno Uno is a classic card game where kids match cards based on color or number. They need to assess their cards, strategize and make decisions about which cards to play to get rid of their cards while also considering the cards in their opponents’ hands.

21. Go Fish Go Fish is a classic card game where players try to collect sets of cards by asking other players if they have specific cards. Players need to remember which cards they have and make decisions about who to ask and what sets to pursue.

22. Coding Challenges Introduce children to coding activities using platforms like Scratch (or ScratchJr for younger kids), Code.org, or Tynker. Coding involves problem-solving and logical thinking, and children can create interactive stories, games, or animations.

23. Outdoor Problem Solving Take children outside and present them with challenges that require problem-solving, such as building a shelter using natural materials or finding their way through an obstacle course.

24. Problem-Solving Worksheets Help your child follow a systematic approach to problem-solving with these helpful worksheets

25. Goal-Setting Activities for Kids Learning to set goals and make plans to achieve them is also a problem-solving activity. I have several resources to teach kids about goal-setting that I will list below:

• Goal-Setting Activities for Kids
• SMART Goals for Kids
• Goal Tracker Thermometer

Remember to provide guidance and support during these activities while encouraging children to think independently and come up with their own solutions.

Problem-Solving Worksheets

Looking for kid-friendly examples of problem-solving strategies ?

This workbook explores the following  problem-solving strategies  (with child-friendly examples and activities):

• Trial and Error
• Heuristics (Clever shortcuts)
• Divide and Conquer
• Working Backwards
• Brainstorming
• Decision Matrix
• Root Cause Analysis
• Systematic problem-solving

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15 Problem-Solving Activities for Kids & Teens: Critical Thinking

What is one of the most important skills all students must learn? Is it math or coding? Reading? Writing? While all these skills are indeed vital to success, the one skill that underlines all disciplines is problem solving. All lines of work need great problem solvers to find tomorrow’s solutions, and students of any age can be honing their problem-solving skills. Check out some of these fun problem-solving activities for kids and teens below!

Problem-solving activities for elementary school kids (ages 5-10)

From traditional paper-and-pencil activities to online tools, below are some great activities for kids ages 5-10.

1. Coding Courses for Kids

It’s never too early to start learning the foundational concepts of computer programming! There are a number of courses appropriate for young students to start building their problem solving skills, including the award-winning Scratch Ninja course . For the uninitiated, Scratch is a user-friendly colorful drag-and-drop coding tool developed by MIT for making awesome games and animations while learning important coding logic. Or, for students who are visual learners, try a Minecraft Redstone Engineering course to find out how to build awesome inventions! There are many free coding classes to start with, to find your child's interests.

2. Tower Building

Turns out that kindergartners might be better engineers than grownups (at least according to this experiment)! The challenge was as follows: given 20 pieces of spaghetti, a yard of tape, and a yard of string, build the tallest possible tower that can support 1 marshmallow on top. After various groups of people tried it from Stanford and other universities, kindergartners ended up beating them for creating the tallest tower. Challenge your student to see how tall they can make their tower too!

3. Crosswords

Whether taken out of the newspaper or off of the web, crosswords are a useful logic puzzle for kids to work on. Crosswords encourage students to use context clues, as well as their reasoning skills by eliminating possible options as they progress. Plus, it’s easy to vary the difficulty of the puzzles, as well as find fun, themed crosswords for different holidays! There's even a Thanksgiving crossword for your student to try.

4. Jigsaw Puzzles

There’s nothing like a good, ole’ fashioned puzzle to challenge the mind. Each person takes a different approach to puzzle solving, whether they organize their pieces first, find all the corners, or do something totally different. Exploring different strategies for solving puzzles is an effective introduction to independently creating strategies for problem solving. This is a solid choice for students who are visual learners.

An age-old classic, LEGOs are a fantastic way to combine creative skills with problem solving. Students need to follow sequential steps and visualize to create their LEGO designs. It’s even better when students go beyond the kit instructions to create their own LEGO build, as students will have to learn to utilize limited resources while coming up with a structured plan for designing their idea. LEGO Mindstorms is a popular starting point.

Problem-solving activities for middle school tweens (ages 11-13)

Middle schoolers (ages 11-13) will want to be challenged more with their activities, and these are some effective activities for encouraging growth.

6. Middle School Coding Courses

By the time they reach middle school, students will be ready to take on more advanced coding concepts, regardless of their prior coding experience. For those who have no prior coding experience, the Accelerated Scratch course is an excellent option, as it will introduce students to basic coding concepts while allowing them to make their games and animations. Students with some prior coding experience may want to try the Minecraft Code to Mod course, builds upon basic coding concepts like loops, conditionals, and more while building students' creativity and critical thinking.

7. Birthday Ordering

An activity commonly done at summer camps, the silent birthday lineup is an excellent problem-solving activity for groups. The goal is for students to line up in chronological order based on their birthdays, without talking at all. Working in total science requires students to think outside the box to accomplish their goal, and to prioritize teamwork. Try timing the students to see how quickly they can get it done, then let them reflect on the activity afterwards to see what strategies worked and what didn’t.

8. Event Planning

Have students plan their own event, like a fundraiser, a social, or a competition for their coding club . This will require students to collaborate by delegating tasks, coordinating supplies, budgeting, and more. Even planning something as simple as a pizza party still requires some logistical planning, and students will benefit from struggling through the process. Plus, they can get to enjoy the results of their work when the event finally arrives!

Arduino circuit boards are an excellent choice for children interested in engineering. Because Arduino is widely-popular, there are countless tutorials demonstrating its capabilities, such as creating a controller, custom RGB lighting, robotics, or more. Once students learn the basics, they can use Arduino boards to come up with creative solutions to their own problems. This is an excellent idea for highly-motivated kids who like to work by themselves.

Sudoku is an excellent number puzzle and a great problem-solving exercise. It requires students to evaluate multiple possible options as they try to fill in the puzzles, so students need to be able to create an organized approach to be successful. There are various difficulty levels for sudoku, so students can start easy, then advance as they become proficient at solving the puzzles.

Problem-solving activities for high school teens (ages 14+)

High school (14+) is a good time to incorporate group work into the activities, as students will need to learn to work collaboratively for their future in college and beyond.

11. Coding for Teens

Once reaching high school age, students are ready to tackle the complexities of text-based coding. This is where students can focus on their interests, whether it be web design , AI, app design , and more. Create & Learn’s Python for AI course is a good option, as Python is one of the most widely-used programming languages in the world. Students interested in game design might try the Roblox Studio course , which teaches students how to program their own Roblox games (or try the Beginner Roblox Game Coding course if they have limited previous coding experience.)

12. Robotics Club

Many different school programs offer robotics teams and robotics competitions , using tools such as VEX robotics . Robotics is a great way to combine computer science, mechanical engineering, and problem-solving skills. If there is no robotics team at your student’s school, consider trying a robotics kit such as the Makeblock mBot Ranger .

13. Egg Drop

This classic experiment is a lot of fun for students, and makes for a good competition as well. Students must build some sort of structure that will prevent an egg from breaking when dropped from a certain height (like the top of a staircase). It works best when students are restricted with the resources they can use; for instance, define a “ budget ” for parts that they can’t exceed, or give everyone the same materials to work with .

14. Debate Club

Whether deciding public policy or the best ice cream place in town, having the ability to engage in meaningful debate is critical. Debate forces students to self-analyze, listen, and think critically before making decisions. These skills benefit students’ futures by making them strong, independent thinkers. Check out these speech and debate competitions . And here are some tips for starting a debate club .

15. Science Fair

Science fairs pose an excellent opportunity for exploring the scientific method, both through creating personal projects and checking out other students’ presentations. By encouraging students to come up with their own projects, they must identify some question or problem and find a way to solve it. This can be the most challenging kind of problem-solving, as it requires the student to take initiative in finding their own ideas, but also can be the most rewarding. Try the Google Science Fair Competition .

Enjoy problem-solving activities for kids

And there you have it: problem-solving activities for students from elementary through high school age. Of course, there are many more ways to build critical-thinking abilities like problem-solving. For more ideas, check this list of awesome after-school enrichment activities !

Written by Create & Learn instructor Dominic Occhietti. Dominic is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he studied music performance and computer science. He thoroughly enjoys teaching, whether that be coding classes, French horn lessons, or even downhill skiing lessons!

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26 Powerful Problem Solving Activities for Kids

As you navigate the busy aisles of the grocery store, your child’s hand firmly in yours, you’re hit by a sudden realization. You’re not just shopping for groceries; you’re in the midst of an impromptu problem solving class. 

Your child, curious and eager, starts asking you questions: 

• “Why do we choose this cereal and not that one?” 
• “How do we know how many apples to buy?”

In these moments, you’re more than a parent; you’re a guide, helping your child understand and navigate the world. It’s not always easy, especially when your child faces unique challenges. 

You know their path is a little different, their learning style distinct. You want to equip them with skills beyond the basics and empower them to tackle the hurdles life throws their way.

Problem solving isn’t just about finding solutions; it’s about building resilience, confidence, and creativity. 

You’ve seen it firsthand – the spark of understanding in your child’s eyes, the proud smile when they figure something out. These small victories remind you of the importance of nurturing these skills.

But where do you start? How do you turn everyday moments into enriching learning experiences? 

One way is to challenge your children by regularly providing them with problem solving activities. Here is a list of ideas: 

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#1 Puzzles and Brain Teasers

As you sit beside your child, engaging in a puzzle or brain teaser, you do more than spend quality time together. These activities are key in honing their problem solving skills, which are essential for their growth and development.

Why Puzzles and Brain Teasers Are Beneficial?

– enhances critical thinking: .

Your child learns to approach problems systematically, analyzing and forming strategies.

– Improves Concentration: 

These activities require focus, helping your child develop a deeper concentration level.

– Builds Persistence: 

Facing challenging puzzles teaches them not to give up easily, fostering resilience.

– Encourages Independent Problem Solving: 

As they work through a puzzle, they learn to rely on their skills and intuition, boosting their confidence.

Examples for Different Age Groups

– younger elementary students (5-8 years): .

Start with jigsaw puzzles that have a moderate number of pieces. Simple word puzzles or riddles are also great to stimulate their thinking.

– Older Elementary Students (9-12 years): 

Introduce more complex puzzles, like jigsaws with more pieces, logic puzzles, and basic Sudoku. These challenge their thinking and improve logical reasoning.

– Teenagers (13-18 years): 

Engage them with advanced puzzles, such as 3D puzzles, crosswords, and challenging brain teasers that require abstract thinking. 

When choosing these activities, consider your child’s interests and abilities to keep them motivated and engaged. It’s not about the complexity of the puzzle but the process of finding solutions and the learning that comes with it.

As they tackle these challenges, they’re not just solving puzzles. They’re building skills that will help them navigate the complexities of life.

Role-Playing Games

Envision your child diving into the world of a detective, a scientist, or a historical figure. Through role-playing games, they’re not just engaging in play.

They’re sharpening their problem solving skills imaginatively and dynamically.

Benefits of Role-Playing Scenarios

– fosters creative problem solving: .

Role-playing challenges your child to think on their feet, creating solutions in diverse scenarios.

– Develops Empathy and Social Awareness: 

Taking on different roles helps them understand various perspectives, building empathy and social skills.

– Strengthens Communication Abilities: 

These activities encourage clear and effective communication , vital for problem solving.

– Tailored to Individual Learning Styles: 

Role-playing can be adapted to suit your child’s unique needs and interests, making it an inclusive learning tool.

Role-Playing Ideas 

#2 mystery detective: .

Set up a mystery game where your child has to find clues and solve a case. This can be made more complex for older children, involving critical thinking and deductive reasoning.

#3 Historical Role-Play: 

Have your child take on the role of a historical figure. They can navigate historical events, making decisions based on the context, which enhances their understanding of history and its challenges.

#4 Science Explorer: 

Create scenarios where your child is a scientist or an explorer facing environmental or scientific problems. They can develop innovative solutions, fostering a love for science and exploration.

#5 Future World Builder: 

Engage older children and teens in creating and managing a city or civilization in the future. This kind of role-play involves strategic planning, resource management, and ethical decision-making.

When engaging in these activities, the focus should be on learning through experience and fun. Encourage your child’s imagination, validate their ideas, and guide them through the problem solving process. 

Remember, role-playing is a powerful tool that can make learning enjoyable and impactful for your child.

Building and Construction Projects

Whether it’s a simple craft project or a more complex construction task, these activities are not just about creating something tangible. They’re about building problem solving skills.

Why Building Activities Enhance Problem Solving?

– encourages practical thinking: .

As your child figures out how to assemble parts, they learn to think logically and sequentially.

– Develops Spatial Awareness: 

Understanding how different pieces fit together improves their spatial intelligence.

– Fosters Creativity and Innovation: 

They’ll learn to think creatively as they design and build, especially when improvising solutions.

– Teaches Planning and Organization: 

Planning out a project helps develop organizational skills and forward-thinking.

Safe and Accessible Building Project Ideas

#6 cardboard creations: .

Use cardboard boxes to build anything from simple houses to intricate castles. This is safe, easy, and allows for endless creativity.

#7 DIY Birdhouse or Insect Hotel: 

Older children can take on projects like building a birdhouse or an insect hotel, which involves more planning and precision.

#8 Recycled Material Sculptures: 

Encourage your child to create sculptures using recycled materials. This not only sparks creativity but also teaches the value of recycling.

#9 Simple Woodworking Projects: 

Consider basic woodworking projects for teenagers, like a small shelf or a picture frame. Ensure supervision and safety measures are in place.

Remember, the goal is to challenge yet not overwhelm. Start with simpler projects and gradually increase complexity based on your child’s interest and skill level. 

Encourage their efforts, celebrate their successes, and most importantly, enjoy the process of building and learning together. This is where practical skills meet creativity, leading to effective problem solving.

Technology and Problem Solving Activities

In today’s digital age, apps and games can be much more than distractions; they can be tools for learning and development.

Why Technology Aids Problem Solving?

– interactive learning: .

Digital platforms offer interactive experiences that keep children engaged and actively learning.

– Adaptive Challenges: 

Many apps and games adjust their difficulty based on your child’s progress, providing a continuous and appropriate challenge.

– Visual and Auditory Stimulation: 

Graphics and sound in digital games enhance cognitive skills and problem solving abilities.

– Accessibility: 

Technology can offer tailored learning experiences, especially beneficial for children with special needs.

Recommended Apps and Games

#10 puzzle games: .

Look for puzzle apps that challenge spatial reasoning and logical thinking. Examples include tangram-based games or block-fitting puzzles.

#11 Strategy Games: 

Games that require planning and strategy, like turn-based strategy games or resource management simulations, are great for older children.

#12 Coding for Kids: 

Introduce basic programming concepts through kid-friendly coding apps. These teach logical thinking and problem solving in a fun, interactive way.

#13 Educational Adventure Games: 

Choose adventure games incorporating math, science, or language puzzles within an engaging storyline.

When selecting apps and games, focus on age-appropriate ones, considering your child’s interests and skill levels. The goal is to find digital tools that challenge and educate, not just entertain. 

Encourage your child to reflect on what they learn and apply these skills beyond the screen. In this way, technology becomes a valuable ally in developing your child’s problem solving abilities.

#14 Escape Room Games

Visualize your child and their friends (or your family) immersed in the thrilling world of an escape room. This isn’t just an exciting game. It’s a dynamic learning experience where essential skills are developed as they work to solve puzzles and ‘escape.’

Benefits of Escape Room Activities

– teamwork: .

Escape rooms are a fantastic way for kids to learn the value of teamwork. They discover the importance of working together, communicating effectively, and sharing tasks to achieve a common goal.

– Critical Thinking: 

These games push children to think outside the box. They must look beyond the obvious, develop creative solutions, and apply critical thinking to overcome challenges.

– Communication: 

Effective communication is crucial in escape rooms. Your child learns to express their ideas clearly, listen to others, and collaborate to solve puzzles.

– Problem Solving: 

Escape rooms are all about solving a series of puzzles. Kids learn to identify problems, analyze them, and develop creative solutions under pressure.

Creating an Escape Room Experience at Home

– diy home escape room: .

Set up a simple escape room at home. Use clues related to your child’s interests, and create challenging yet solvable puzzles. It can be a simple treasure hunt with clues leading to the next step.

– Escape Room Board Games: 

There are board games available that mimic the escape room experience. These are great for rainy days or quiet evenings at home.

– Digital Escape Rooms: 

There are also digital escape room experiences, perfect for children who enjoy online gaming. Choose ones that focus on teamwork and problem-solving that are age-appropriate.

Remember, the goal is to challenge and engage your child in a fun, collaborative way. 

Through escape room activities, they enjoy an exciting adventure and develop essential life skills that will serve them well academically and personally.

#15 Indoor Rock Climbing

This activity is often overlooked, but it’s an incredible way for children of all ages and abilities to develop many skills beyond physical strength.

Multifaceted Benefits of Indoor Rock Climbing

– problem solving skills: .

As your child figures out the best climbing route, they use critical problem solving skills. Deciding which hold to grab next requires quick thinking and strategy, skills transferable to everyday challenges.

– Coordination: 

Rock climbing demands a harmony of movements between hands and feet. This enhances your child’s coordination, a valuable skill in many other aspects of their life.

– Strength Building: 

Climbing strengthens not just the arms and legs but the entire body. It’s a full-body workout that improves physical strength and endurance.

– Stamina Development: 

Maintaining their position on the wall for an extended period builds stamina. This persistence is mirrored in their ability to stay focused on other activities.

– Focus and Concentration: 

Successfully climbing requires complete concentration. Your child learns to focus their mind on the task at hand, a skill that’s invaluable in school and other settings.

– Self-discipline: 

Rock climbing teaches self-control and emotional regulation . Staying calm and composed on the wall is essential for safety and success.

– Boosting Confidence: 

Each climb is a boost to your child’s self-esteem . Believing in their abilities to reach the top instills a sense of accomplishment and confidence.

Getting Started with Indoor Rock Climbing

– find a kid-friendly facility: .

Look for indoor climbing centers that offer sessions for children. They provide the necessary equipment and guidance in a safe environment.

– Start with Basic Walls: 

Begin with walls designed for beginners, gradually moving to more challenging climbs as your child gains confidence and skill.

– Encourage Regular Practice: 

Consistency is key. Regular climbing sessions will help your child improve their skills steadily.

Remember, rock climbing is not just about reaching the top; it’s about the journey. Each step your child takes up that wall is a step towards building essential life skills in a fun, engaging, and challenging environment.

#16 Obstacle Courses

Imagine setting up a fun, engaging obstacle course in your backyard or living room. This isn’t just an entertaining activity for your child. It’s a comprehensive learning experience that builds many life skills.

Valuable Life Skills Gained from Obstacle Courses

– teamwork and cooperation: .

Obstacle courses often require collaboration. Your child learns the importance of working together, sharing strategies, and helping peers to achieve common objectives.

Each obstacle presents a unique challenge. Your child learns to think quickly, devise strategies, and find creative solutions to navigate through them.

– Perseverance and Determination: 

Obstacle courses can be challenging, teaching your child the value of persistence and grit. They learn to keep trying, even when faced with challenging tasks.

– Large Motor Fitness: 

These courses are excellent for enhancing physical fitness, improving strength, balance, and coordination.

– Mental Fitness: 

Besides physical agility, obstacle courses sharpen mental skills like focus, concentration, and stamina.

Setting Up a Simple Obstacle Course

– indoor course: .

Use household items like chairs, cushions, and tables to create a safe indoor course. This can include crawling under tables, hopping between cushions, or balancing along a taped line on the floor.

– Outdoor Course: 

Use natural elements like trees, hills, or simple items like ropes and hula hoops for outdoor space. Set up tasks like weaving between trees, climbing small hills, or jumping through hoops.

– Incorporate Diverse Activities: 

Add variety to your course with activities like throwing a ball into a bucket, balancing a book on the head, or hopping on one foot. This keeps the course dynamic and engaging.

Remember, the primary goal is to have fun while learning. Encourage your child, celebrate their successes, and perhaps even join to model teamwork and sportsmanship.

Through obstacle courses, your child enjoys physical activity and develops crucial life skills in an exciting and hands-on way.

Cooking and Baking Projects

Cooking and baking are not just about creating delicious treats; they’re an excellent way for your child to learn and practice many skills.

Skills Developed Through Cooking and Baking

– math and measurement skills: .

Recipes require measuring ingredients, which is a practical way for your child to learn about fractions, volumes, and weights.

– Reading and Comprehension: 

Following a recipe improves reading skills and comprehension. Your child learns to follow instructions and understand the sequence of steps.

– Science and Chemistry: 

Cooking is a fun way to introduce basic science concepts. They’ll learn about chemical reactions, like how yeast makes dough rise or how heat changes food.

– Creativity and Experimentation: 

Encourage your child to be creative, whether decorating cookies or experimenting with flavors. This fosters their artistic side and teaches them about trial and error.

– Life Skills and Independence: 

Cooking and baking are essential life skills. By learning these, your child gains a sense of independence and accomplishment.

Ideas for Cooking and Baking Projects

#17 simple recipes: .

Start with easy recipes like no-bake cookies, fruit salads, or sandwiches. These are perfect for younger children.

#18 Theme Cooking: 

Make cooking more engaging by tying it to a theme or a subject they’re learning in school, like baking pies when learning about circles in math.

#19 International Cuisine: 

Explore recipes from around the world. This not only introduces new flavors but also teaches about different cultures.

#20 Weekly Cooking Day: 

Dedicate one day a week to cook or bake something special with your child. It could be a time to try new recipes or perfect old favorites.

Remember, the kitchen is a fantastic classroom. It’s a place where your child can learn, make mistakes, and enjoy the fruits of their labor! Encourage them, guide them, and most importantly, have fun together in this delicious learning journey.

Incorporating Everyday Situations

As you go about your daily routine with your child, consider the myriad learning opportunities in these simple moments. Everyday tasks, often overlooked, are fertile ground for developing problem solving skills.

Turning Routine Activities into Problem Solving Exercises

#21 grocery shopping: .

Turn a regular shopping trip into a math lesson. Have your child help with making a budget, calculating discounts, or comparing prices. They learn about money management, estimation, and decision-making.

#22 Planning a Route: 

If you’re heading out to multiple places, involve your child in planning the route. Discuss factors like distance, time, and traffic. This teaches them about logistics, time management, and geographical orientation.

#23 Organizing Spaces: 

Ask your child to think of the best way to organize it, whether it’s their room, a bookshelf, or the living room. This encourages them to think about space utilization, categorization, and orderliness.

#24 Meal Planning: 

Involve them in meal planning for the week. They can help decide the menu, ensuring a balance of nutrition. This teaches them about health, planning, and the importance of variety.

#25 DIY Home Projects: 

Simple home projects, like planting a garden or painting a fence, can be excellent problem solving exercises. They learn about the process, the necessary materials, and the steps to complete a project.

#26 Time Management: 

Encourage your child to plan their day or week, balancing schoolwork, chores, and leisure. This helps them develop critical time management and prioritization skills.

Each of these activities, while mundane, is an opportunity for your child to think critically, make decisions, and solve problems. 

The key is actively involving them, asking open-ended questions, and encouraging them to think through their choices. 

This way, everyday tasks become more than just chores. They become stepping stones in your child’s developmental journey.

Tips for Success

As you embark on these activities with your child, keeping them engaged and motivated is crucial. Here are some practical tips: 

Keeping Children Engaged and Motivated

– set achievable goals: .

Start with simple tasks and gradually increase the difficulty. Achieving these smaller goals will boost your child’s confidence and motivation.

– Incorporate Their Interests: 

Tailor activities to include your child’s hobbies or favorite subjects. This personal connection makes learning more exciting and relatable.

– Offer Positive Reinforcement: 

Praise their efforts, not just the outcomes. Celebrate their progress and perseverance, which encourages a growth mindset .

– Create a Routine: 

Establishing a consistent activity schedule helps build discipline and a sense of anticipation.

– Provide Choices: 

Give your child options in activities or ways to complete them. This sense of control can be very motivating.

– Break Down Tasks: 

For complex activities, break them into smaller, manageable steps. This makes the task more manageable and more approachable.

Adapting Activities for Children with Special Needs

– simplify instructions: .

Use clear, concise language and visual aids if necessary. Breaking instructions into smaller steps can be very helpful.

– Flexible Approach: 

Be open to adapting activities based on your child’s needs. This could mean altering the pace, reducing sensory inputs , or providing additional support.

– Incorporate Sensory Activities: 

For children who benefit from sensory input, include activities that engage different senses .

– Use Assistive Technology: 

For children with physical or learning disabilities, utilize available technology to facilitate their participation and learning.

– Foster a Safe Environment: 

Ensure the learning environment is safe, supportive, and free from unnecessary pressures or distractions.

– Collaborate with Educators and Therapists: 

Work with your child’s teachers or therapists to align activities with their educational and therapeutic goals.

Remember, being patient, adaptable, and responsive to your child’s needs and responses is vital. Your support and encouragement can make a significant difference in their learning journey.

As you step into this journey of enriching your child’s learning through these diverse activities, remember that each moment spent together is about achieving a goal and creating lasting memories and invaluable learning experiences. 

Your role in guiding and supporting your child through these activities is a powerful force in their development.

We would love to hear about your adventures and discoveries. Share your stories with us in the comments below! 

Whether it’s the proud smile of your child solving a puzzle, the excitement of completing a DIY project, or the laughter that fills your kitchen during a cooking session, your experiences can inspire and encourage other parents embarking on similar journeys.

Additional Resources for Learning

• 29 Fun Activities to Help Kids Focus (With Proven Results)
• Fun Winter Break Activities for Kids Guaranteed to Bust Boredom
• 21 Simple & Fun Gratitude Activities for Kids
• The Ultimate Guide to Summer Learning Activities (Your Child Will Love)

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it on Pinterest and Facebook. Join our Special Ed Parenting Facebook Community to connect with other parents of special needs children. 

Do you have a child that needs one on one assistance?  

We offer one-on-one special education tutoring that can be done from anywhere the student is! Why? Because our special education experts conduct their sessions online!

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45 Fun and Clever Brain Teasers for Kids with Answers!

Written by Laney Kennedy

Reviewed by Sarah Tino, M.Ed.

Engage and motivate your students with our adaptive, game-based learning platform!

• Game-Based Learning
• What brain teasers are
• The benefits of brain teasers for kids

Math brain teasers for kids

Sometimes keeping your students engaged during a (long) school day feels like a losing battle. How do you gain their full attention while teaching the skills they need to succeed? How do you turn tough and intimidating concepts into fun, entertaining lessons that actually spark life in the classroom? 

Brain teasers for kids are a great form of game-based learning that not only entertain children but also inspire some creative thought in the classroom. People of all ages can indulge in these playful — yet challenging — activities.

And some examples of when teachers might want to use brain teasers are on a bulletin board in the classroom, as a partnered activity to start a new concept or lesson, or during a rainy day indoor recess box.

We’ve gathered 45 examples of brain teasers for kids with answers, organized by category:

Table of Contents

Language brain teasers for kids :

Riddles ; Language associations ; Lateral thinking problems.

Math brain teasers for kids :

Math riddles ;  Pattern problems ;  Prodigy.

Visual brain teasers for kids :

Spot the difference ;  Rebus puzzles ;  Optical illusions ;  Stroop effect test.

Use the list below to find the perfect brain teaser for your class!

What are brain teasers?

Before you explore our examples, you might be wondering what brain teasers actually are.

Cambridge Dictionary defines a brain teaser as “a problem for which it is hard to find the answer, especially one which people enjoy trying to solve as a game.”

Brain teasers are a type of puzzle — and as the list below reveals, they come in many different forms. Often presented as a riddle, question or activity, brain teasers require a little extra brainpower to solve.

It's important to note that if you have any English language learners in your class, brain teasers for kids might pose a challenge for them. If that's the case, they might need you to walk them through the brain teaser more closely, or you can find ones that better suit their language level.

Brain teasers for kids differ from other complex or abstract problems because they’re usually done for fun. Although you can use them to analyze problem-solving and critical thinking skills, they’re often used as an amusing activity to encourage logical and lateral thinking , or thinking “outside the box.”

45 Brain teasers for kids

We’ve compiled a list of language, math and visual brain teasers to get your students thinking. Get inspired by the examples below — including answers!

Language brain teasers for kids

When you hear the term “brain teaser,” a riddle is likely the first thing that comes to mind. Riddles are perplexing — sometimes misleading — questions or statements that require creative thought to solve.

Riddles are usually fun, and plenty of them can add some humour to your classroom.

Enjoy our list of riddles for kids below!

a) Billy’s mother had five children. The first was named Lala, the second was named Lele, the third was named Lili, the fourth was named Lolo. What was the fifth child named?

b) Choose the correct sentence: “The yolk of the egg is white” or “the yolk of the egg is white.”

c) It’s as light as a feather, but the strongest person can’t hold it for more than five minutes. What is it?

d) The more there is, the less you see. What is it?

e) What gets more wet while it dries?

f) You can find it in Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, but not in Venus or Neptune. What is it?

g) It likes food, but water kills it. What is it?

h) What’s full of holes but can still hold water?

i) Which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of rocks?

j) How far can a dog run into the woods?

k) You’re driving a city bus. At the first stop, three women get on. At the second stop, one woman gets off and a man gets on. At the third stop, two children get on. The bus is blue and it’s raining outside in December. What colour is the bus driver’s hair?

l) There are three houses. One is red, one is blue and one is white. If the red house is to the left of the house in the middle, and the blue house is to the right of the house in the middle, where’s the white house?

m) It’s at the center of gravity and you can find it in Venus, but not Mars. What is it?

n) What goes on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the evening?  (This is from the classic myth,  Oedipus and the Riddle of the Sphinx )

o) What travels faster: heat or cold?

p) A man was walking in the rain in the middle of nowhere without a coat or an umbrella. He got soaked, but not a single hair on his head was wet. How can this be?

q) A cowboy rode into town on Friday. He stayed in town for three days and rode back out on Friday. How is this possible?

b) Neither. Egg yolks are yellow, not white!

f) The letter “R”

h) A sponge

i) Neither. Both weigh a pound!

j) Halfway. Once it reaches halfway, it’s running  out  of the woods.

k) Whatever colour your hair is. Remember, you’re driving the bus!

l) In Washington, D.C.

m) The letter “V”

n) A human. The times of day represent stages of human life. At the beginning of life, a baby crawls on four “feet.” As a person gets older, they walk on two feet. Later in life, a person will walk on three “feet” (two feet, plus a cane to help them walk).

o) Heat travels faster because you can catch a cold!

p) He was bald.

q) The horse’s name was Friday.

As a bonus, use these riddles to challenge preconceived notions and get students thinking about natural bias .

a) Two boxers are in a match scheduled for 12 rounds. (Pure boxing only - no kicking, UFC takedowns, or anything else). One of the boxers gets knocked out after only six rounds, yet no man throws a punch. How is this possible?

b) A father and son have a car accident and both are very injured. They are taken to separate hospitals for treatment. When the boy is taken in for an operation, the surgeon says, “I can’t do this surgery…. this boy is my son!” How is this possible?

a) The two boxers are women.

b) The surgeon is the boy’s mother.

2. Language associations

These brain teasers for kids explore the complexities of the English language. Use them to boost student knowledge of sounds, words, spelling, categorization and more.a)  Word association : find a word that associates with the following sets of words.

• Cake, swiss, cottage
• Glasses, screen, day
• Cream, cube, cap
• Knife, fly, cup

b) Find the mystery word . Replace the third letter of each word with a new letter to create a different word. When read vertically, the new letters will reveal the mystery word.

For example, the word MA K E could become MA R E, MA L E, MA T E and so on. It’s your job to figure out which one works to create the mystery word. 

Hint: It’s something you’ll find outside.

c) Find rhyming pairs . Unscramble the words below so that each pair of words rhymes.

• RBAE & HREAS
• WNROED & UTRHNDE
• TUGHAT & HBTUGO
• ODULC & ODOG

Mystery word: FLOWER

• BEAR (or BARE) & SHARE
• WONDER & THUNDER
• TAUGHT & BOUGHT
• COULD & GOOD

You can also use printable brain teasers for kids like this one:

Image source: Spelling Words Well

Answer: The “happy word” is SMILE.

3. Lateral thinking problems

Lateral thinking problems require creative thinking with an indirect approach.

These questions require logic and careful thought to solve. The most notable example of a lateral thinking problem is the classic Monty Hall problem .

Here are two examples of lateral thinking problems kids can try to solve.

a) The river crossing problem

Image source: Popular Mechanics

A farmer is travelling with a fox, a goose, and a bag of beans. During his journey, he comes across a river with a boat to cross it.

The farmer can only fit one thing in the boat with him at a time. If left alone together, the fox will eat the goose or the goose will eat the beans. How does the farmer get everything across the river safely?

b) The light bulb problem

There are three light switches outside of a room-- labeled number one, number two, and number three. The door to the room is closed and you can’t see in. All three switches are off.

You need to figure out which switch belongs to which bulb. You can use the switches however you want to, but can only enter the room once. How do you do it?

a) Here’s the step-by-step solution:

• The farmer brings the goose across the river first (if he leaves the goose alone, it will either eat the beans or be eaten by the fox).
• The farmer brings either the fox or the beans across and leaves the other one alone.
• Now the farmer has two items on the other side of the river, including the goose. If he leaves the goose again, the same problem will occur. So, the farmer must bring the goose back to the other side.
• The farmer brings the other item back (either the fox or the beans) and leaves the goose alone again. The fox and the beans are now on the other side of the river.
• The farmer returns and brings the goose across the river again.

b) Turn on the first switch and leave it on. Turn on the second switch for a few minutes, and then turn it off again. When you enter the room, one light bulb will be on. You’ll know it goes with switch one because you turned it on. Another bulb will be hot. You’ll know that goes with switch two because it was on for a little while. The bulb that’s off and cold goes with switch three because you didn’t touch it.

Like math puzzles , these brain teasers for kids can increase engagement with math content and inspire your students to work on math concepts and problems outside of regular lessons.

1. Math riddles

These riddles are just as amusing as the ones above, but they’re math-focused . Use them to give students some extra math practice and encourage resourceful thinking.

Math riddles

a) Divide 30 by ½ and add 10. What’s the answer?

b) A clerk at the butcher shop is six feet tall and wears size 10 shoes. What does he weigh?

c) A farmer has 19 sheep on his land. One day, a big storm hits and all but seven run away. How many sheep does the farmer have left?

d) Your sock drawer only contains 18 white socks and 18 blue socks. How many times do you need to reach inside the drawer and take out a sock to guarantee a matching pair?

e) You planted sunflower seeds in your back garden. Every day, the number of flowers doubles. If it takes 52 days for the flowers to fill the garden, how many days would it take for them to fill half the garden?

f) Using only addition, how can you use eight eights to get the number 1,000?

g) When Ashley was 15, her mother was 37. Now, her mother is twice her age. How old is Ashley?

a) It's 70. You’re dividing 30 by ½, not by two. Thirty divided by ½ is the same thing as multiplying it by two, which is 60. Plus 10 makes 70!

b) Meat. He works at the butcher shop, so he weighs meat for a living.

c) Seven. The riddle says  all but seven  run away, meaning there are seven left who didn’t.

d) Three times. On the third time, you’ll get either a white or a blue sock to match with one of the other two you’ve already grabbed.

e) It would take 51 days. If the number of flowers doubles every day, half the garden would be full the day before, on the 51st day.

f) 888 +88 +8 +8 +8

g) Ashley is 22. Her mother is 22 years older, so when Ashley is 22, she’s now half her mother’s age.

2. Pattern problems

These questions require students to identify a pattern before they can answer a particular question. Kids must use creative and logical thinking to find the answers.

4 + 4 = 168

5 + 5 = 2510.

b) What makes this number unique: 8,549,176,320?

c) Solve the pattern puzzle below. Find the missing number to replace the question mark.

Image source: Genius Puzzles

d) Solve the following:

Image source: AOL

a) The missing number is 3612. The answer is the number multiplied by itself and then the number added to itself. Six multiplied by six is 36, and six plus six is 12.

b) It contains each one-digit number, zero through nine, listed in alphabetical order.

c) The missing number is 17. Each number in the circle is the sum of the numbers in the opposite quadrant. In this case, the numbers are eight and nine — added together makes 17.

d) The answer is 14 (or 16), if you’re on the other side of the debate .

3. Prodigy Math Game

This math activity is a bit different from others on the list. It’s not a traditional brain teaser, but it can also be used as a fun, skill-building alternative to traditional math class.

Prodigy is a game-based learning platform that takes your students on an online fantasy adventure while they answer standards-aligned math questions. It’s engaging and effective at teaching necessary skills. 

Prodigy's free teacher tools help you differentiate learning, send assessments in-game and even collect student insights!

Visual brain teasers for kids

1. spot the difference.

This ever-popular activity might remind you of your own childhood — and kids still love it! Spot the difference puzzles require lots of deduction and attention to detail.

Here’s an example of a printable spot the difference activity.

Image source: Tim’s Printables

2. Rebus puzzles

A rebus is a visual word puzzle that uses lateral thinking to find its intended meaning. The word or phrase is depicted with a visual illustration, including letters and words. Students must think creatively to figure out the meaning from the clues they’re given. 

Image source: Wikipedia

Image source: Stack Exchange

a) Top secret

b) Think outside the box

Visit the link below if you want more fun rebus puzzles for your students:

3. Optical illusions

Get tricky with your students! Optical illusions use visual tricks that alter the perception of what you’re really seeing. Students will love trying to figure out what’s really going on in these examples.

a) How many legs does the elephant have?

Image source: Optics For Kids

b) Are the two squares different colours?

Image source: Brain Den

b) They’re exactly the same colour. If you place your finger over the spot where the squares meet, you can see they’re the same. Try this impossible paper puzzle if you want a more hands-on optical illusion. You can make one to show your class, then have students make their own as a fun brain teaser to show friends and family.

4. Stroop effect test

The Stroop effect was discovered in the 1930s by John Ridley Stroop. During the test, you’re given a list of colour names, with each word being a different colour than what they describe.

The test involves saying the colour of a word, rather than reading the word itself. Your mind must process the two conflicting pieces of information, which slows down reaction speed and requires careful thought to get through.

Image source: The Crafty Classroom

Benefits of brain teasers for kids

You know your students enjoy them, but did you know there are plenty of additional reasons to make brain teasers a regular activity in the classroom?

A study on the attention spans of six-year-olds found children who were given brain teasers were more attentive than those who were not — showing brain teasers were effective at boosting children’s attention spans.   

Brain teasers for kids can also:

• Strengthen problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Encourage lateral thinking and build new perspectives
• Improve cognitive abilities like memory and processing speed
• Inspire teamwork and communication
• Engage students and motivate them to learn
• Provide necessary breaks from traditional class work

How to use brain teasers in the classroom

In addition to their many learning advantages, brain teasers are a great way to break up the day and engage your students. Here are just a few ways you can use brain teasers for kids as a teaching strategy and maximize the benefits in your classroom:

• Engagement-boosting activity before or after lessons
• Bonus questions in assignments and tests
• Optional “free time” activity
• Encourage team building — split students into groups to solve them together
• Supplement lessons — choose brain teasers about the subject you’re teaching

Final thoughts on brain teasers for kids

No matter what subject or skill you want to focus on, a brain teaser is a great addition to traditional teaching methods. Plus, it’s something students will actually be excited to do.

Remember that brain teaser are designed to be fun for kids. it’s not about finding the right answer, but the mental exercise they get from trying to find the solution.

Use any of the brain teasers in this list whenever you need a boost of energy in your classroom. Bonus points if you can stump any adults!

Create or log in to your free teacher account on Prodigy – a game-based learning platform for math that’s easy to use for educators and students alike. Aligned with standards across the English-speaking world, it’s used by more than a million teachers and 90 million students.

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15 Best Problem Solving Activities: Foster Critical Thinking

1. Rolling Dice

2. build a tower, 3. tic tac toe, 4. scavenger hunt, 6. activity books, 7. board games, 9. human knot, 10. open-ended questions.

Problem solving activities for kids are a great way to teach them how to think critically and creatively, and how to develop a growth mindset . We’re sure you must have also played many educational games as a kid that helped you develop critical thinking or problem-solving- skills you’re using even today. These activities can be tailored to be fun and engaging, and they help kids understand that challenges and difficulties are opportunities to learn and grow instead of things to be feared. 

By providing kids with problem-solving activities, we can give them the tools to develop their problem-solving skills and build the confidence to tackle difficult challenges, which will be valuable to them throughout their life. It will also help them understand that their abilities can be developed with practice and hard work, encouraging them to persevere through difficult tasks and not give up easily when faced with obstacles. If you’re looking for some fun and engaging problem solving activities for children to develop a growth mindset, we have curated a list of activities for you.

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15 Best Problem Solving Activities for Kids

Things you’ll need: A die or dice, some flashcards and a pen

How to do: You can play tons of different games with dice. Playing with two dice encourages kids to quickly add up numbers and learn math in a fun way . One fun game you can play with a single die involves flashcards. For this game, you can assign a category to each number on the die and when the kid rolls the die, they have to name any 3 examples from the category assigned to the number rolled. For example, if number 4 is assigned to animals and it is rolled, they will have to name any 3 animals. 

Things you’ll need: Building blocks, lego, toilet rolls or anything that can be stacked

How to do: If you’re looking for problem solving activities for 5 year olds, this is for you. To play this game, just give the kids anything that can be stacked on top of the other. This can be building blocks, lego, Jenga blocks, toilet rolls, etc. The challenge is to stack one on top of the other and see how high a tower they can build. This game can be played in teams or individually as well. 

Things you’ll need: A tic tac tow board or pen and paper

How to do: This is one of the most exciting problem solving fun activities for students. You can either play this game on a tic tac toe board or on paper. If you’re playing it on paper, draw a table so that you have 9 boxes. Now each player must choose X or O and try to make a continuous row of their chosen symbol. Whoever succeeds wins. 

Things you’ll need: Small toys, stationery items, or anything you want to include in a scavenger hunt

How to do: Assign the teams or individual players specific items they have to find in a defined area. This can be an indoor or outdoor activity for kids . Give them a list of the things they need to find, and you can also give them hints on where to find these things. Whoever or whichever team finds all the things first wins. 

Things you’ll need: A puzzle game

How to do: Get a puzzle set. This can be a regular cardboard puzzle or a wooden puzzle and ask the players or teams to arrange it. You can make this a timed challenge or just let the kids solve the puzzle in their own time and have fun. 

Things you’ll need: Activity books and pencils

How to do: This is one of the best problem solving activities for kids. Activity books are great for children’s problem-solving skills to develop. Buy them activity books containing games like find the element, what’s wrong with the pictures, or hidden picture books. 

Things you’ll need: Board games like Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly Junior, and Go Fish

How to do: Give them board games like Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly Junior, Go Fish, etc. These board games help kids to develop logic, think deeper, plan ahead and solve problems. 

Things you’ll need: A chalk

How to do: Build a maze with chalk on the sidewalk. Make sure you add a few dead-end ways to make it more challenging for the kids. Once the kid is able to walk through and come out of the maze, take the game to the next level by adding even more dead-end ways and see how they overcome the challenge. 

Things you’ll need: Just a playground or garden

How to do: This is a great group activity for kids that’ll also teach them lots of skills. Ask the kids to form a circle and raise their right arm up. Now ask them to reach out to someone standing opposite to them in the circle and hold their left hand with their left hand. Now ask them to raise their left hands up and repeat the process with their right hands. The objective is to entangle them completely and then ask them to detangle themselves without letting go of anyone’s hands. 

Things you’ll need: Pen and paper 

How to do: Once you’re done with an activity, ask kids open-ended questions. These are questions that have no right or wrong answers. Some examples of such questions are- “Did you find this activity easy?”, “What did you enjoy the most about this activity?”, “How would you make this activity more fun?”, etc. 

11. Wool Web

Things you’ll need: Balls of yarn

How to do: This is one of the most exciting group problem solving classroom activities for kids . Divide the players into equal teams and ask them to form a circle. Hand them over one ball of yarn each and ask them to make a web of it amongst the teams. Set a time limit for this step, and once it is done, switch the webs so that none of the teams has their own webs. Now the teams will decide on one player from each team to be blindfolded. This blindfolded player will have to untangle to web assigned to their team with the help of verbal instructions from their teams. The team that untangles the web first wins. 

12. Fingertip Hula Hoop

Things you’ll need: Hula hoops

How to do: Divide the kids into teams of 6-8 for this game. Each team will stand in a circle and then be asked to raise their hands up. Now, place a hula hoop on top of their fingertips and ask them to bring it down slowly and make it touch the ground without it falling down or leaving the fingertips. The team to finish the task first wins. 

13. Obstacle Course

Things you’ll need: Pillows, blankets, mattresses, cones, balls, chairs, etc. 

How to do: Build an obstacle course indoors or outdoors with whatever you can find. This makes for one of the most engaging problem solving games for kids. Ask your kids to cross the obstacle course as fast as they can. To make it a bit more challenging, you can also ask them to race against each other to cross the obstacle course. 

14. Memory Games

Things you’ll need: Playing cards

How to do: For this fun cards game, place all the cards face down and take turns to turn 2-4 cards. If you are able to open two similar cards (in number), you get to keep the pair. The player with the highest number of cards with them in the end wins.  

15. Impromptu Plays

Things you’ll need: A stage

How to do: This is one of the best problem-solving exercises for kids to play in groups. If you have a large group, divide the kids into teams of 6-8. If the group is smaller, just make the kids stand individually. Now make a few chits on a theme that has questions that form a difficult situation or a challenge. For example, you can put in chits with questions like “You just found your friend cheating in an exam. What do you tell them?” or “Your younger sibling just broke your favorite toy. How do you react?”. Each team must enact a scene that includes the situation their chit has. If the group isn’t that big, each kid must speak about the same chit but have different perspectives. 

Why Are Problem Solving Skills Important for Kids?

Developing problem solving skills is extremely important for kids as it helps them to navigate easily around difficulties later on in life. As adults, we’re faced with challenging situations every day, and without our basic problem-solving skills, we wouldn’t be able to survive.

Problem solving skills also help kids to make effective decisions. It helps them resolve problems all at once without reducing them to smaller problems. Once kids develop problem solving skills, it is easier for them to develop other skills as well like critical thinking, cooperation and collaboration with others.

Having problem solving skills helps kids to become more creative and think differently than others and enables them to become independent. These skills also help kids develop decision-making skills and build their confidence along the way as they take the right decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the 5 problem solving skills.

The five problem solving skills are identifying the problem, producing possible results that might work, picking one solution from these, applying the chosen solution and evaluating the results.

What are some examples of problem-solving skills in kids?

Some of the problem solving skills in kids are research, creativity, team-building, communication, active listening, decision-making, and analysis. If you find some of these skills in a kid, chances are they’re great at problem solving.

What is problem solving learning?

According to cornell.edu, Problem solving learning is an approach wherein students are asked open-ended questions about a certain topic, and they must resolve and answer  the same in groups.

At what age do children begin problem-solving?

According to a study by Shaffer , kids can start developing basic problem solving skills from the age of three. This further continues to develop as they grow.

What are three problem-solving techniques

According to deakin.edu , the three most basic problem solving techniques are defining the problem, listing out all the possible solutions, and evaluating the options.

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The 24 Best Free KS3 Maths Games For Engagement At School and Home

Emma Johnson

KS3 maths games are still a really good way to engage and motivate pupils in year 7, 8 and 9. Just because they’ve moved on from the more traditionally ‘fun’ stage of their schooling to secondary school, doesn’t mean that KS3 children are any less susceptible to the attractions of fun KS3 maths games. 

At KS3, we try to encourage pupils to look for different strategies for solving problems and deepen their understanding of numbers. KS3 maths games are a great way to do this. They provide opportunities for pupils to practise, without the need for any input from the teacher. Teachers are able to watch and observe how pupils approach problems and make assessment judgements. Another great thing about these maths games is they support home-school links which are particularly valuable at a time when parents can start to feel increasingly isolated from what their child is experiencing at school. 

Parents are able to learn about their children’s mathematical thinking by playing some of these KS3 maths games with them at home. 

When played repeatedly in KS3, maths games are fantastic for supporting a child’s development and understanding of maths. 

In this blog, I will be looking at games that can be played in each of the year groups in key stage 3. Many of these games aren’t restricted to the year group they have been allocated and can be suitable for children of different ages, sometimes with small adjustments to the numbers used. In many cases, no adjustments are needed for them to appeal to all ages.

KS3 Maths Games Printables

All the printable resources you'll need to complete these games.

1. Prime numbers game

2. multiplication game: product hunt, 3. fractions, decimals and percentages game: snap, 4. multiplying / dividing fractions game, 5. algebra game: 3 in a row, 6. coordinates game: battleships, 7. algebraic equations game: find the operation, 8. factors and multiples game, 9. number game: yes / no, 10. division and remainders game: mystery number, more maths games for primary and secondary schools, 11. number game: how many steps, 12. number game: take five, 13. fractions game: countdown, 14. bidmas game: 4 in a row, 15. number game: nifty fifty, 16. subtraction game: sub-zero, 17. number game: countdown, 18. number game: target 24, 19. number game: wild jack, 20. number game: game of six, 21. number game: 5 of a kind, 22. addition game: got it, 23. 2d shapes game: square it, 24. 3d shapes game: nine colours, maths games for year 7.

The curriculum in year 7 is more diverse and varied than key stage 2. The focus moves from number and calculation and broadens to include algebra, ratio & proportion and probability. Whilst all the elements of calculation, place value and fractions are still covered within key stage 3, it is instead under the heading ‘number’. The games in this section will all help year 7 children to build upon the skills developed in year 6, and to build upon those covered in year 7.

This fun maths game gets children thinking about prime numbers and factors, to determine whether they have the cards to make a prime number each time.

What you will need to play:

• 2 or more players
• Pack of cards (Ace = 1, Jack = 11, Queen = 12 and King = 13)
• List of prime numbers (optional): 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97, 101, 103, 107, 109, and 113

How to play:

• Shuffle the cards and deal 11 cards to each player, which they hold in their hand. The top card of the remainder of the pack is turned over and is the ‘starting number’.
• The non-dealer (or person to the left of the dealer) adds a card from their hand that adds to the starting card to equal a prime number. 
• The next player then tries to add to that total to equal a larger prime. 
• When a player can no longer add a card that sums up to a prime the hand is over, and the last person to make a prime gets a point.

The first player to score 5 points is the winner.

This game enables children to practise the written method of multiplication in a more fun and motivational way than just working through calculations on a worksheet.

• 0-9 digit cards
• Paper and pen
• Shuffle the cards and place in the middle of the table, face down.
• Players take it in turns to take a card and place it face up on the table.
• Continue until 5 cards have been selected.
• Once the 5 cards have been chosen, players have 2 minutes to make as many long multiplication questions and calculate the answers as they can (e.g. if the cards 2, 9, 5, 6 and 1 were chosen, they could write down the calculation 291 x 56.
• The winner is the player with the most correct calculations completed in the 2 minutes.

In year 7, children need to be able to recognise equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages. This game is a simple way of practising this in a more engaging and fun way than working through a worksheet.

• A set of shuffled fraction, decimal and percentage cards (see printable resource pack)

• Place the shuffled pile of cards face down on the table.
• Take it in turns to turn over a card. If 2 cards are turned over with matching fractions/decimals/percentages e.g. 50% and ½, then the first player to call out ‘snap’ gets to keep all the cards put down so far.
• The winner is the player at the end of the game with the most pairs of cards.

This game can be used for both multiplying and dividing fractions, as well as comparing the size of 2 fractions. This game really gets children thinking, as they have to think carefully where to position their digits to make the largest fraction.

• A set of 1-9 cards
• Blank fractions sheet with multiplying or dividing questions (see printable resource pack) 

• Each player has a blank multiplying or dividing fractions page.
• Take it in turns to throw the dice and each player decides which box on their sheet to put the number in.
• Once the numbers have been generated and all 4 boxes contain a number, each player multiplies their fractions together (or they can divide the fractions if this is the focus).
• The player who has made the greatest fraction, when the 2 are multiplied or divided, scores 2 points. 
• If both players make the same sized fraction, each player scores 1 point.
• The winner is the first player to reach 10 points.

In year 7, children build on the algebra skills learnt in year 6 and start applying the skills that will take them through to GCSE. This game is a great way to practise algebraic equations and more fun than simply answering questions from a textbook.

• Algebra game board (see printable resource pack)
• Algebra equations list (see printable resource pack)
• 20 counters (2 colours)

• The first player throws both dice.
• With the 2 numbers generated, they decide which number will represent ‘a’ and which number will represent ‘b’.
• They then choose one of the 6 equations, using the 2 numbers generated to represent a and b. 
• They work out the answer and cover the number with a counter.
• The next player does the same.
• Players take it in turns until one player has positioned 3 counters in a row. They are the winner.

In this game, players must identify all the coordinates of their opponent’s battleships. It can be played using a 2 or a 4 quadrant grid and is great for practising the reading and plotting of coordinates.

• A blank coordinates grid, A – I on the x-axis and 1 – 9 on the y-axis, for each player (see printable resource pack)
• A pen for each player

• Each player has a blank coordinates grid.
• They plot their ‘battleships’ (make sure the size and number of battleships are agreed in advance) on the grid and make a note of the coordinates.
• Player 1 goes first and calls out their first coordinate. If it hits one of the coordinates on player 2’s grid, player 2 calls out ‘hit’ and player 1 marks it off. If it misses player 2’s battleships, they call out ‘miss’ and player 1 marks it as a miss.
• Players then swap over, so player 2 calls out their first coordinate. As before, player 1 calls out ‘hit’ or ‘miss’
• Once a battleship has had all the coordinates called out, the player who’s battleship it is shouts ‘battleship sunk’. The other player marks this on their grid.
• The winner is the first person to sink all the other player’s battleships.
• Year 7 Maths At Home
• Preparing For The Year 6 Transition
• After SATs Lessons

Maths games for year 8

By the end of year 8, children should be increasingly fluent in making meaningful connections between different mathematical concepts and be able to apply them readily. Children should understand and solve a variety of algebraic equations, understanding how to manipulate expressions and equations fluently. The games in this section will enable children to practice the skills learnt both in year 8 and in previous years. 

This game is a fun way to get children to practise working with algebraic equations, through both thinking of their own and identifying their partner’s. 

• 0-5 grids (see printable resource pack)

• Both players have a 0-5 grid, marked ‘a’ and ‘b’.
• Each player needs to decide on the rule for their grid. For example, a * b means treble a, then add b.
• Once they have decided on a rule for their grid, they complete 7 answers.
• Players then swap grids and attempt to work out the other player’s rule, then complete the grid.
• The winner is the first player to correctly complete the grid.

Thinking ahead? Check out our GCSE Maths page and Algebra lessons!

This game encourages children to focus on both factors and multiples, and gives children a valuable chance to practise their times tables. 

What you need to play:

• A hundred square (see printable resource pack)
• 2 pens (different colours)

• The first player chooses a number on the hundred square and crosses it out.
• The next player chooses a second number to cross out in a different colour. This number must be a factor or multiple of the first number.
• Continue crossing out numbers, ensuring that each number crossed out is a factor or multiple of the previous number that has just been crossed out.
• The first person who is unable to cross out a number loses and the other player earns one point.
• The winner is the first player to use their multiplication tables to get to five points.

If you liked this, then check out our times tables games !

A game that can be used to get children to identify the basic properties of individual numbers (e.g. square number, multiple, factor). The child guessing has to prioritise which questions are going to enable them to get closer to the answer.

• At least two players
• Pen and paper
• Scorecard to keep track of player scores each go
• Each player writes down a set of different values (e.g. 5 numbers) for the other player(s) to guess.
• Player 1 asks a question about the other player’s number (e.g. is your number a multiple of 5?).
• If the answer is ‘yes’, player 1 gets to ask another question.
• If the answer is ‘no’, player 2 gets to ask a question.
• The winner is the first player to correctly guess the other player’s number. They score one point.
• The first player to get to five points wins the game.

In this game, children use a range of clues involving division and remainders to work out the mystery number. 

• Both players think of a number between 1 and 100 for the other player to guess.
• Player 1 gives a number between 2 and 10.
• Player 2 works out what the remainder would be if their mystery number was divided by that number.
• For example, player 2 may have chosen 44. If player 1 chose a 3 as their first number, then player 2 tells them what the remainder would be if their number was divided by 3. In this case, it would be a remainder of 2.
• Players jot down this information, to help them work out the number once all the clues have been used.
• Roles then swap and player 2 gives player one a number. Player 1 works out what the remainder would be if their number was divided by the number given by player 2.
• This continues. The winner is the first player to correctly identify the number.
• Top 25 maths games
• 24 KS1 maths games
• 26 KS2 maths games
• Place value games

Maths games for year 9

During year 9, pupils continue to build upon the key skills from year 7 and year 8. One of the other key procedures and formulae they investigate is Pythagoras’ theorem. The games in this section will build a pupil’s understanding of Pythagoras’ theorem and enable them to practise other skills learnt during their time in key stage 3.

This game encourages pupils to look at multiple steps they can use to get from one number to another number. It also encourages the use of inverse operations/checking of calculations to check whether answers are correct – one of the most valuable maths skills they’ll learn! 

• One or more players
• Scorecard 
• Each player is given the same starting number and answer to use (e.g. starting number of 6, answer of 17).
• Each player has 1 minute to write down the steps they would take to get from 6 to 17.
• Players can use any numbers they wish.
• Players are allowed to repeat an operation to get to an answer (e.g. for getting from 6 to 17, players can just do 6 +1, +1, +1 etc. until they get to 17), but will only score 1 point for each  different  operation.
• The number of  different  steps used is the score (e.g. 5  different  steps = 5 points).
• E.g. to get from 6 to 17 in the time given:  6 (x3) = 18 (+9) = 27 (+8) = 35 (/5) = 7 (+10) = 17 . This would score 5 points.
• Each player scores their number of different steps taken for each round.
• The player with the most points after the number of rounds played is the winner.
• Players are encouraged to check each other’s answers and the steps taken.
• If any stage is incorrect, the player scores 0 points for that round.

This is a number game to encourage pupils to think carefully about strategies needed to get an answer within a range of totals. The more individual numbers used to get an answer, the more points the player gets. Pupils need to decide whether a strategy of getting maximum points for each answer or using fewer numbers to get each answer is the best method.

• Playing cards can be used to generate numbers to be used by player(s) in the game
• 5 numbers are selected at random.
• A consecutive set of 10 answers is agreed to work towards (e.g. 21-30, 41-50).
• Players are given a 5-minute time limit to get the answers to as many of the totals as possible.
• Players cannot repeat the use of a number for a single answer (unless it is part of the ones they have).
• The more individual numbers used for an answer, the more points can be awarded.
• E.g. the selected numbers are  9   5   2   7   1 and consecutive totals are from 21-30.
• For 23, the player could get to it using the following calculations: ( 7  x  5 ) = 35, ( 9  +  2  +  1 ) = 12, 35 – 12 = 23. Because 5 different numbers were used, the score is 5 points.
• For 28, the player could get to it using the following calculations: ( 5  –  1 ) = 4, 4 x  7  = 28. Because 3 different numbers have been used, the score is 3 points.
• If a player has two of the same answer (eg: two methods for getting 23), whichever one used more of their numbers is the points they score.

This is a more challenging version of the standard, whole number game of countdown and requires players to carry out the 4 operations using fractions and whole numbers.

• Whole number cards (see printable resource pack)
• Fraction cards (see printable resource pack)
• 10-sided dice or 1-10 digit cards

• Place the whole number and fraction cards into 2 piles.
• Players take it in turns to select a card from the whole number or the fraction card pile.
• Once 6 cards have been selected, place them face-up on the table.
• A target number then needs to be generated (either using a 10-sided dice or 1-10 digit cards to generate the numerator and denominator).
• Players have 2 minutes to try and reach the target number using any of the 6 fraction/whole number cards and any of the 4 operations.
• The winner is the first to reach the target number or the player who is closest after 2 minutes.

This is a great game for practising the rules of BIDMAS alongside strategy skills. It can be played individually or against other players.

• 1 or more players
• Number grid 1-50
• 2 coloured pens
• The first player throws the 4 dice to generate 4 numbers. 
• Using BIDMAS, they write a number sentence and colour in the square on the 1-50 grid, which contains the answer.
• The aim of the game is to be the first player to colour in 4 squares in a row. 

Prepare for year 10 and year 11 with our GCSE Maths pages!

KS3 mental maths games

Mental maths games are great for practising a range of mental maths concepts, whilst not requiring resources or time to set up. They can be used as a quick warm up at the start of a lesson, a fun way to consolidate learning at the end of a lesson, or as a time filler at any point in the day.

This game is good for developing logical thinking and problem solving.

• Set of playing cards – Ace to 10 (Ace is worth 1)
• Both players select 4 playing cards.
• With the 4 cards, they have 2 minutes to make a 2-digit + 2-digit number sentence which is closest to 50.
• The number sentence closest to 50 scores 1 point. If the player creates a calculation with exactly 50 as the answer, they earn 2 points.
• The winner is the player with the most points after 5 rounds.
• To add further complexity to this game, you could give each player 6 cards and then add a ‘wild’ negative number card into the game which both players have to use in their round. 

This is a simple mental subtraction game, which doesn’t require any resources. An easy interactive game to play when there are a spare few minutes.

• Starting with the number 123, the first player chooses an amount to subtract.
• The number subtracted must contain one digit from the previous answer.
• The player could choose to subtract 22, so the new number would be 101.
• A zero cannot be subtracted, so the next number has to contain a 1. 
• The next player could subtract 11, so the new number is 90.
• The only number that can be subtracted now is 9.
• The game continues. The first player to get to zero is the winner. 
• The game can be played with a different starting number each time.

This mental maths game is popular for any age. Younger children can access it on a more basic level, whereas older children can use more complex calculations. It works well in small groups, or as a whole class activity, and encourages players to think deeply to identify calculations that will get them to the target number.

• 4 ‘large number’ cards – 25, 50, 75, 100
• 2 sets of 1-10 cards 
• Set out the large number cards face down in one pile and the small number cards face down in another pile.
• Players take it in turns to choose a card from either the small or the large number piles and place it face down on the table.
• Once there are 6 cards face-up on the table, the target number needs to be generated.
• The target number can be generated by picking 3 number cards from a pile of 0-9 cards.
• Once the number has been generated, children have 2 minutes to try and reach that total using the 6 cards selected.
• Children can use any calculation using the 6 numbers, but each number can only be used once.
• The winner is the first person to reach the target number or the person to have the closest answer after 2 minutes.

This game is a great problem solving and ‘low floor, high ceiling game’, as players search for a solution. They can use only the basic calculations to reach the target number, or they can utilise much more complex mathematical calculations.

• A pack of cards (number cards only)
• Shuffle the pack of cards and lay face down on the table.
• Each player picks a card and turns it face-up on the table until there are 4 cards displayed.
• The aim of the game is to make ‘24’ using only the cards on the table and any of the 4 operations.
• For example, if they have a 6, 10, 2 and 6, the solution could be very simple, such as basic addition i.e. 6 + 10 + 2 + 6 = 24.
• Older children may include more complex operations involving brackets, for example, they may have 9, 5, 6 and 9 and solve it by 5 – (9 ÷ 9) x 6 = 24.
• If nobody is able to reach 24, the player who is the closest wins.

This is another great game for practising mental maths and numeracy skills using all four operations.

• Playing cards with all picture cards (other than the Jacks removed)
• In this game, the 1-10 cards represent their numbers, and the Jacks can represent any number from 1-10.
• The aim of the game is to reach the target number. To make the target number, shuffle the pack and turn over the top 2 cards. If either is a 10 or Jack, put them to the bottom.
• The 2 cards turned over make the target number. For example, if you turn over a 6 of spades and a 4 of hearts, your target number will be 64.
• Each player is dealt 5 cards, which are set out face up. Players can then add, subtract, multiply and divide to try to reach the target number. 
• If a target number is reached using all 5 cards, 10 points are scored. If 4 cards are used, 8 points are scored. If 3 cards are used, 6 points are scored, and so on.
• The winner is the player with the most points at the end of the game.

KS3 problem solving games

Problem-solving games are a great way for pupils to deepen their mathematical understanding. These games require children to think strategically and to approach problems in different ways. 

This is a number game to encourage children to think carefully about strategies needed to get an answer within a range of totals. The more individual numbers used to get an answer, the more points the player gets. Children need to decide whether a strategy of getting maximum points for each answer or using fewer numbers to get each answer is the best method.

• 6 numbers are selected at random.
• E.g. the example numbers given are:  4   8   6   3   5   9 and consecutive totals are from 31-40.
• For 31, the player could carry out the following calculations: ( 4  x  8 ) = 32, ( 6  –  5 ) = 1, 32 – 1 = 31. Because 4 different numbers were used, the score is  4 points .
• For 37, the player could carry out the following calculations: ( 4  x  9 ) = 36, ( 8  +  3 ) = 11, ( 6  +  5 ) = 11, 36 + (11 / 11) = 37. Because 6 different numbers were used, the score is  6 points .
• If a player has two of the same answer (e.g. two methods for getting 31), whichever one used more of their numbers is the points they score.

This problem-solving game is quite a challenging maths activity. It requires players to think deeply about the calculations they use and how they can use quite complex calculations to achieve solutions.

• A set of cards numbered 2-9
• Shuffle the number cards and place them face down on the table.
• The first player picks one of the cards. 
• This is their ‘5 of a kind’ number. For example, if they selected a 6, they would have 6, 6, 6, 6 and 6 to use.
• The aim of the game is to use one or more of the 5 digits to get an answer between one and ten.
• If for example, the player chose a 7, they would then need to use one or more of the digits to make the answer 1, 2, 3 up to 10. To make 1, they could do 7 ÷ 7. To make 2 they could do (7 ÷ 7) + (7 ÷ 7) etc.
• This is a challenging game, but the winner is the player to achieve the most answers between 1 and 10.

This is a great strategy game and with no set up required, it’s easy to play at any time. It involves adding, but players need to think carefully about the strategy they use and whether they are able to find a winning strategy.

• The target number for the game is 23.
• The first player chooses a number from 1 to 4.
• Players take turns to add a whole number from 1 to 4 to the running total.
• The player who lands on 23 wins the game.
• Players need to think about their strategy and plan ahead.

This is another good strategy game, not only requiring players to think about their own game but also that of the other player’s.

• Square dot paper
• The first player places a coloured dot on one of the dots on the squared paper.
• The second player does the same, using a different colour pen.
• This continues until one of the players has placed 4 dots which can be joined together to form a square.
• The square can be any size on the grid and can also be tilted.
• The game requires both players to be working out their own strategy, whilst also keeping a close eye on the other player’s game, to ensure any potential squares are blocked.

This is a fun game and challenging activity, similar to playing with a Rubik’s cube.

• 27 cubes (3 each of 9 colours) per person
• This game can be played individually, or as a speed challenge against other players.
• Each player needs to make a large cube using the 27 small cubes.
• The aim of the game is to be the quickest player to make a large cube with all 9 cubes on each face containing only 1 of each cube colour.
• If any face contains more than one of the same colour cube, the player hasn’t successfully completed the challenge.

Hopefully, this blog has given you some ideas for games you could play in your classroom. Most are easy to adapt, to suit any age or the topic you are covering. Don’t just adapt the games yourself; give children the opportunity to adapt and think up their own rules too.

Download the free KS3 Maths Games Printable Resource Pack

Looking for additional support and resources at KS3? You are welcome to download any of the secondary maths resources from Third Space Learning’s resource library for free. There is a section devoted to GCSE maths revision with plenty of maths worksheets and GCSE maths questions . There are also maths tests for KS3, including a Year 7 maths test , a Year 8 maths test and a Year 9 maths test Other valuable maths practice and ideas particularly around reasoning and problem solving at secondary can be found in our KS3 and KS4 maths blog articles. Try these fun maths problems for KS2 and KS3, SSDD problems , KS3 maths games and 30 problem solving maths questions . For children who need more support, our maths intervention programmes for KS3 achieve outstanding results through a personalised one to one tuition approach.

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FREE 12 Maths Club Activities for Primary Schools (Years 1 to 6)

A collection of games and activities to make maths enjoyable in a primary school maths club!

Minimal resources are needed for each activity.

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• Year 8 Maths Worksheets

Year 8 maths worksheets – 72 free, editable printables

Editable Word docs

Distribute these Year 8 maths worksheets weekly for homework assignments or incorporate them into classroom activities to support students in honing essential mathematical skills.

There are six booklets in total – two for each term.

Term one comprises 14 worksheets, term two has ten, and term three includes 12, each containing 20 questions. With a total of over 1,000 questions, this material is sufficient for two complete cycles of 36 weeks’ worth of homework.

Other year groups

Check out similar worksheet packs for Years 7 , 9 and GCSE maths . You can also download 100+ problem-solving questions in our  KS3 maths worksheets pack  from White Rose Maths.

Year 8 maths worksheets

Each worksheet covers the following 20 topics:

Term 1 – scheme 1 and 2

• Percentage calculations
• Fraction, decimal, percentage conversion
• Angle measuring & drawing
• Angle calculations
• Expressions & formulae
• Simplifying
• Substitution
• Probability
• Times tables

Term 2 – scheme 1 and 2

• Powers and roots
• Graphs and travel
• Percentages
• Expressions
• Metric & imperial units
• Perimeter & area
• Coordinates
• Straight line graphs
• Order of operations
• Using a calculator
• Transformations

Term 3 – scheme 1

• Graphs & travel
• Perimeter and area
• Coordinates & straight line graphs
• Rounding & estimation
• Decimal calculations & BIDMAS
• Averages & stem & leaf
• Solving equations
• Plans & elevations
• Pie charts & scatter graphs

Term 3 – scheme 2

• Decimals & BIDMAS
• Stem & leaf
• Practical patterns

Peter Mattock is an assistant head and author of Visible Maths . Contact Peter to request answers for these worksheets.

Similar resources

• Factorising quadratic expressions – Unpick what’s going on
• Factorising quadratics – Construct your own quadratic equations
• Arithmetic sequence worksheet – Free KS3/4 maths resource
• Trigonometry GCSE questions – 9-1 exam practice
• Rounding numbers – KS3/4 significant figures worksheet

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Math and Logic Puzzles

If you REALLY like exercising your brain, figuring things 'round and 'round till you explode, then this is the page for you !

Whosoever shall solve these puzzles shall Rule The Universe!

... or at least they should ...

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Maths Problem Solving Booklets

Subject: Mathematics

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

23 August 2022

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Maths problem solving booklets covering a wide range of mathematical problems designed to improve problem solving strategies as well as numeracy and mathematical ability.

Designed to be printed as A5 booklets.

Disclaimer: These are free because the problems are from a wide variety of sources, most of which I have forgotten. I am a maths problem magpie and collect maths problems wherever I find them. All I have done is bundled these ones up to make it convienent.

If you find a problem that is yours and you don’t want it used please comment and I’ll remove it - cheers.

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Australian Curriculum: Mathematics

Students learn the basic concepts of algebra, geometry, and graphing before entering high school and learning more complicated topics. It is crucial that students completely grasp these concepts before going on to harder topics like trigonometry or calculus. With our on-demand videos students have the opportunity to go over math problems with a math teacher who knows how to break it down in an easily digestible format.

• Teachers go over definitions along with multiple problems for the skills so that students fully grasp the concepts.
• Skills available for statistics, time, ratios, and other eighth grade skills.
• Students learn how to use the scracthpad to better understand how to tackle the problems.

Free Printable Math Word Problems Worksheets for 8th Year

Math Word Problems: Discover a vast collection of free printable worksheets for Year 8 students, created by Quizizz. Enhance your students' problem-solving skills and mathematical understanding with these comprehensive resources.

Recommended Topics for you

• Addition Word Problems
• Division Word Problems
• Multi-Step Word Problems
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• Subtraction Word Problems
• Multiplication Word Problems
• Mixed Operation Word Problems
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Explore printable Math Word Problems worksheets for 8th Year

Math Word Problems worksheets for Year 8 are an essential resource for teachers looking to challenge their students and help them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These worksheets cover a wide range of topics, including algebra, geometry, and statistics, ensuring that students have a solid foundation in math. By incorporating real-life scenarios and engaging themes, these worksheets not only make math more relatable but also help students see the practical applications of the concepts they are learning. Teachers can easily incorporate these worksheets into their lesson plans, using them as supplementary material, homework assignments, or even as assessment tools. With a variety of difficulty levels and question types, Math Word Problems worksheets for Year 8 cater to the diverse needs of students and ensure that they are well-prepared for future math courses.

Quizizz is a fantastic platform that offers not only Math Word Problems worksheets for Year 8 but also a plethora of other resources for teachers to enhance their students' learning experience. With Quizizz, teachers can create interactive quizzes, polls, and presentations to engage students and make learning fun. The platform also allows teachers to track their students' progress and identify areas where they may need additional support. In addition to Math Word Problems worksheets for Year 8, Quizizz offers resources for other subjects and grade levels, making it a one-stop-shop for all your educational needs. The user-friendly interface and customizable features make Quizizz an invaluable tool for teachers looking to incorporate technology into their classrooms and provide their students with a dynamic and interactive learning experience.

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Problem Solving Games, Activities & Exercises for Adults

Here is our list of the best problem solving games, activities and exercises for adults.

Problem solving games are activities that require players to use critical thinking skills to solve puzzles. Example activities include escape rooms, Sudoku, and murder mysteries. The purpose of these exercises is to sharpen reasoning and decision-making skills in group settings and to do team building with employees.

These activities are a subset of remote team games , found in problem solving books , and are similar to team puzzles , team building brain teasers and team riddles .

This article contains:

• team building problem solving activities for employees
• free problem solving games for adults
• virtual problem solving activities for students
• group problem solving activities
• problem solving team builders

Here we go!

List of problem solving games & activities

From word and number puzzles to role-playing games, here is a list of inexpensive and free problem solving team builders that help groups practice the art of critical thinking and compromise.

1. Espionage! (Team Favorite)

For an exciting game of social deduction, check out Espionage! This thrilling experience will put your team’s wits and instincts to the test.

Espionage! offers the following:

• a 90-minute session led by an experienced host
• undercover teams of agents and spies
• challenging puzzles, tasks, and maneuvers
• team conversations to help uncover secret identities

The best part is we will bring all the necessary game materials to your preferred location. If you are interested in boosting communication and critical-thinking skills within your team, then consider Espionage!

Learn more about Espionage!

2. Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh (Hosted)

You can turn your team into skilled detectives with Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh! In this captivating mystery, participants will locate the stolen artwork, The Bedroom .

Key features of this experience include:

• a 90-minute adventure led by a world-class host
• detailed puzzles, clues, and mysteries to unravel
• trails of evidence and hidden secrets
• group discussions to find the art

Additionally, you can include a cocktail kit to spice up your event. Through Art Heist, you will enhance your team’s ingenuity and problem-solving skills!

Learn more about Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh .

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3. War of the Wizards (Popular)

With War of the Wizards, teams roleplay as minions of powerful wizards to vanquish forces of evil. Participants will play thrilling games and go on a quest to restore harmony to the realm!

War of the Wizards offers the following:

• a 90-minute journey guided by a distinguished host
• immersive storytelling that transports players into a magical realm
• engaging activities like world-building, role-playing games, and storytelling
• opportunities for forming alliances, facing challenges, and going on quests

Through the power of imagination and teamwork, your team can overcome tasks and participate in an epic fantasy battle. To improve communication and bonds, include War of the Wizards in your agenda!

Learn more about War of the Wizards .

Sudoku is one of the most popular free problem solving games for adults. The objective of this game is to fill each box of a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. The puzzle makes a great team challenge. To play Sudoku on Zoom, screen share the game board. Then, turn on the annotation features. Using the add text functions, participants can fill in the numbers on the grid.

We made a starter puzzle you can use in your next meeting or virtual team bonding session:

Here are more online Sudoku puzzles .

5. Crossword puzzles

Crossword puzzles are word games that ask players to fill in words based on clues. Words interconnect, and players must think critically about the surrounding words to select the right phrase for the space.

You can use an online crossword puzzle maker to create a custom puzzle. Here are a few themes you may want to consider:

• teammates’ tastes and interests
• company knowledge and history
• industry terms and trends

Or, create a miscellaneous puzzle just for fun.

We made a sample puzzle you can use for your game:

To complete puzzles during online meetings, you can use the share screen function and add text through annotations.

Or, subscribers can play the New York Times’ daily crossword puzzle virtually . Dictionary.com also offers a free daily online crossword puzzle .

Check out more vocabulary games .

6. Online Escape Rooms

Escape rooms are timed games that get groups working together to solve puzzles. Traditionally, players enter a locked room and must complete all puzzles in an hour or two to unlock the door. However, groups can also play escape rooms online.

Digital escape rooms typically come in one of two forms: in a Zoom room and led by a host, or in a choose-your-own adventure format via Google Forms or websites. To play escape rooms virtually, enter a video meeting and follow the prompts, or screen share the Google Form and work out the puzzles together.

Check out our full list of online escape rooms .

7. Murder Mysteries

Murder Mysteries are story-based games that ask players to take on the roles of suspects or detectives while trying to identify a killer. These games often involve reading lines from a script, searching for clues, and occasionally solving puzzles to get hints.

These games make participants pay attention to conversations, analyze other characters’ behavior, and search for hidden meaning in the script. Players must use their powers of observation and logic to unravel the mystery.

Check out our list of Zoom murder mystery games .

8. Treasure Hunts

Treasure hunts are scavenger hunts with intention. While virtual scavenger hunts often ask players to collect random items, treasure hunts require participants to locate clues that lead to other prompts and hints. The game typically ends with players finding a treasure or solving a mystery, sometimes both.

The treasure hunt can have a specific theme such as secret agent missions or a hunt for pirate treasure, or you can run a more general hunt. Teammates can either compete simultaneously via Zoom call, or can play the hunt on an app individually and compete to beat each other’s scores.

Check out our list of treasure hunt apps .

9. Poem or story challenge

Most team building problem solving activities for employees revolve around science, math, and logic. Poem/story challenges rely on writing skills and are sure to appeal to the language lovers on your team.

Each player receives a limited word bank to use to create a story or poem. Then, players have a few minutes to craft their pieces. Afterward, everyone reads out or screen shares their creations.

Here are a few word challenge activities you can do remotely:

• Found poems or stories : Participants make poems or stories out of words they find by visiting websites, searching emails, glancing out the window, or taking a walk or drive around the neighborhood.
• Random word generators : Teammates use a random word generator to populate a word bank, and must use each word in the poem or story.
• Poetry magnets : Group members make poems using poetry magnets. You can send poetry magnet sets to employees and assemble the verses on a cookie pan during a Zoom call. Or, teammates can play with poetry magnets online .
• Page poems: Participants receive one page of a book or magazine, and must make a poem or story by blocking out other words so only the chosen text remains visible. This activity is part storytelling, part art, since story crafters can illustrate the pages as part of the design.
• Ransom note stories or poems : Players cut out letters from magazines and must form new words to make poems and stories. Or, players can receive a mix of random letters, form words, and run the text through a ransom note generator .

These activities are suitable for teams and individual players.

10. Moral challenge

Some problems are ethical rather than factual. Moral judgment plays just as important a role in the decision-making process as technical prowess. Players can flex their moral problem-solving skills by tackling ethical dilemmas or social puzzles.

Here are some social problem solving games online:

• Moral machine
• Scruples – the game of moral dilemmas
• Morality play

To play these games, either download the apps, or pull up the website and then screen share the prompts. These games are best played when discussed as a group, because the more belief systems and opinions, the harder an issue is to resolve. These exercises provide practice for real-life conflict resolution.

You can find similar challenges on our list of online personality tests .

11. Frostbite

Frostbite is a group game that hones team leaders’ communication skills while sharpening teammates’ listening and cooperation skills. The premise behind the game is that a group of explorers gets caught in a snowstorm and must build a shelter. Frostbite has paralyzed the leaders’ hands and snow-blinded the rest of the team. The leader must give the team instructions to build a tent that can resist arctic winds.

To play Frostbite, each teammate wears a blindfold. Then, the leader gives directions. Once the structures are complete, players turn on a fan to test whether tents can withstand the wind.

Frostbite is usually an in-person game, however you can also play virtually. In the remote version of the game, teammates construct tents out of cards and tape, while the leader surveys the scene on screen.

This exercise demonstrates the challenges of leading remotely, as teams need to operate with minimal oversight or supervisor observation. Therefore, instructions need to be clear and direct to be effective.

Check out more team building games .

12. Virtual Hackathons

Hackathons are events where participants have a set amount of time to design and pitch a new product or solution. This type of event originated in the programming world and is often used to create new apps, however you can apply the game to any industry or school subject.

Virtual hackathons are online versions of the event. Teams enter the competition, then work with each other via virtual meeting software or remote work communication platforms to design the solution. At the end of the competition, teams pitch ideas to a panel of judges and a winner is decided.

To run a virtual hackathon, first announce the theme of the event and collect sign-ups. So that no teams work ahead, hint at the general idea of the issue, and only explain the precise problem when the event begins. Then, give teams anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete the project.

Discover more virtual hackathon ideas .

13. Improv games

Improv games are excellent problem solving activities. These exercises force participants to think and respond quickly to keep scenes moving in a logical and entertaining way.

Here are some good problem solving improv games:

Banned words : Performers cannot say certain words. Scene partners will conceive of situations that encourage the actors to use those words, and the actors must find alternatives, such as using synonyms or taking the scene in a new direction.

Scenes from a chat : Audience gives a suggestion for a scene, and players act the scene out. Though it’s a fictional and often ridiculous scenario, actors must react to the situation and solve the problem in order for the scene to end.

Miracle cure : Miracle cure is a quick-moving exercise that follows a simple format. One player declares, “I have a problem.” Another player responds, “I have a….[random object.]” The first player then replies, “great! I can use the [random object] to….” and describes how they will solve the problem.

Check out more problem-solving improv games .

14. Spaghetti Tower

The spaghetti tower is a classic team building game. Participants gather uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows, and must construct the tallest freestanding tower.

During the in-person version, players must construct one tall freestanding tower. However, for the virtual version of the game, players construct individual towers. You can send groups to breakout rooms for the build, then reconvene in the main room for judging. Teams are judged on three main factors: number of towers, height, and uniformity.

This version of the game not only tests the structural integrity of the tower, but also consistency and quality control. This exercise teaches teams to align and collaborate remotely, and produce a consistent product even when far apart.

15. What Would You Do?

What Would You Do? is a simple situational game that challenges participants to react to different circumstances. To play this game, read prompts one by one, and then ask participants to respond with gameplans. You can use the polling or raise hand feature to vote for the best option.

Here are some problem solving scenarios for adults or kids to use in the game:

• Zombies attack and you have to find a place to hide.
• You are at the zoo and the animals escape. Which one do you try to corral back into the pen first?
• After waiting in line for hours, someone cuts in front of you last minute. The person appears to be visually and hearing impaired, and doesn’t notice your protests. An official announces that due to diminishing supply, this individual will be the last in line to be served.
• You are eating a meal with important clients and/or your partner’s parents, and you want to impress. The individuals make you a dish that does not fit within your dietary restrictions, but you do not speak the same language and cannot explain why you do not want to eat.
• An imposter has infiltrated the organization, who looks, speaks, and behaves exactly like you. How do you convince your peers that you are the original?

For similar dilemmas, check out this list of Would You Rather? questions.

16. Desert Island Survival

Desert Island Survival is a game that challenges players to prioritize. The premise is that players have been stranded on an island, and must decide what order to perform survival steps.

Here are the possible actions:

• Set up shelter
• Explore the island
• Try to signal for help
• Make weapons for self-defense
• Build a raft to escape the island
• Start a fire
• Choose a group leader
• Search for other survivors

All group members must agree on the order of the steps. Players should explain the reasoning for the order of each step while ranking the actions.

Another version of the game involves players receiving a list of 15 to 20 items, and selecting five or so to bring to the island. You can also vary the location of the game, substituting remote islands for destinations like outer space or the distant past.

17. Choose Your Own Adventure

Choose Your Own Adventure stories enable readers to determine the outcome of the story by making decisions. Each action has a consequence that takes the tale in a different direction. Participants can try to guess how the story may unfold by talking through the different choices. When completing the activity in a group setting, the majority of the team must agree on an action before moving forward in the story.

There are a few ways to facilitate these activities online:

• Play an online role playing video game
• Watch an interactive movie like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
• Read from a Choose Your Own Adventure book on Zoom
• Click through a Choose Your Own Adventure platform
• Create your own story using a Google Form

Whichever way you choose to do the exercise, you can use the screen share feature in your virtual meeting software so that listeners can more easily follow along.

18. MacGyver

MacGyver is a show where the hero escapes sticky situations by improvising tools out of unlikely materials. For example, in one episode the hero makes a telescope out of a newspaper, magnifying lens, and a watch crystal.

To play MacGyver, you can either list three to five objects participants can use, or challenge players to use items that are within arms reach.

Simply state a desired end result, such as “a way to open a locked door,” or “a getaway vehicle,” and then ask teams to explain what they will build and how they will build it. To make the activity more collaborative, you can give teams five or ten minutes in breakout rooms to strategize and design a prototype.

19. Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a roleplaying game where players pretend to be magical figures and creatures. One player serves as the dungeon master, who guides the game, while the other players pick characters and make decisions to move the story forward. Upon choosing a course of action, players roll a twenty-sided die to determine whether or not the plan succeeds. The game is story-based, the possibilities are nearly limitless, and truly creative problem solving options arise. Also, since gameplay is mostly verbal, Dungeons & Dragons is an easy activity to do over Zoom.

Here are the basic rules for Dungeons & Dragons .

20. Pandemic

Pandemic is a game that pits players against the forces of nature in a race to contain and control disease outbreaks. At the beginning of the game, each player receives a role such as containment specialist or operations expert. Participants must carry out the duties of their roles by choosing appropriate actions. Pandemic is a great game for groups because each team member has a clear part to play, and players must collaborate and work together instead of competing against each other.

To play the game online, you can use a Pandemic game app , or talk through the exercise while one attendee moves and displays pieces on the board.

Note: The subject of this game might hit too close to home for some players, considering recent history. You can find games with similar mechanics that deal with different subject matter, such as Forbidden Island.

Check out more team building board games .

21. Model UN

Model UN is one of the best virtual problem solving activities for students. This exercise casts participants in the role of international diplomats who must negotiate to solve realistic problems. Each player assumes the role of a country ambassador and must form alliances and propose solutions to solve crises.

Here are some sample Model UN scenarios:

• Human rights violation by powerful country
• Food shortage
• Disease epidemic
• Technology privacy violations
• Civil war branching into surrounding countries
• Natural disasters

Depending on the size of the group, participants either take on the part of an entire government of a country, or play a certain role within the government. To carry out the activity on Zoom, players can take turns giving speeches, message other countries privately via the chat, meet in breakout rooms to form alliances or have more intimate discussions, and use the polling feature to vote on propositions.

If politics does not resonate with your group, then you can alter the exercise by applying the same activity structure to a different theme, such as the Justice League, movie characters, business board members, or reality TV stars.

The main purpose of the exercise is to research, talk through problems, and compromise. As long as these elements are present, then the specifics of the setup do not matter.

There are many types of problem solving activities for adults. You can do online problem solving games, which require a different skill set than in-person problem solving. For instance, communication must be much clearer and more abundant when group members are far apart and unable to demonstrate or pick up physical cues.

Though many problem solving games include props and in-person elements, there are many games you can play together online. These exercises work well as educational tools as well as team bonding accelerators. Upon completion, participants are likely to feel a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence. These games are also great practice for real life conflict resolution, creative thinking and team building.

Next check out this list of connection games , this collection of crime-solving games , and this post with conflict resolution games .

We also have a list of the best decision making books and a list of team building problems for work .

Book wildly fun team building events with expert hosts

FAQ: Problem solving activities

Here are common answers to questions about group problem solving activities.

What are problem solving games?

Problem solving games are challenges that ask players to think critically and use logic to overcome issues or answer riddles. Examples include sudoku, murder mysteries, and spaghetti towers. These games are also known as “problem solving exercises”, “problem and solution games” and “group problem solving activities.”

What are the best problem solving games for groups?

The best problem solving games for groups include online escape rooms, moral challenges, and improv games.

What are some good problem solving team building activities for students?

Some good problem solving activities for students include crossword puzzles, choose your own adventure stories, and model UN.

How do you play problem solving games online?

The best way to play problem solving games online is to join a video call meeting to talk through the issue. Using the screen sharing and digital whiteboard features helps participants visualize the problem more clearly. Breakout rooms give teams the chance to discuss the issue more intimately.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Team building content expert. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Discovery Play with Littles

2:01 pm ·

15 Powerful Problem Solving Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

I looked over to her table and she’s crying. Again. While everyone else is happily working away, she sat there, unable to move, just crying. 

Not asking for help.

Not trying to solve her problem.

Just crying.

I took a deep breath before heading over. We’ve already been at this for several months…isn’t it about time the problem-solving has kicked in yet?

One glance and I could tell what her problem was. She didn’t have her pencil.

Know how I knew?

It laid on the floor beside her. In plain sight.

As a kindergarten teacher, I don’t jump right in and solve problems for kids. It’s good for them to try to solve the problem themselves. This is something she struggled with. 

I reminded myself of the need for patience and empathy as I walked up to her. “What’s wrong, Amanda?” 

“I…can’t…find…my…pencil….” she sputtered out between sobs. 

“Ok, that’s a problem we can solve. What have you tried?” 

“I don’t know.” 

After a long time trying to first, calm her down, and second, come up with some strategies she could try, she finally found her pencil. At that point, everyone else had finished the project. 

What is Problem Solving?

Problem-solving is the process of finding a solution to your problem . This can be quite tricky for some young children, especially those with little experience in finding more than one way to solve a problem.

Why is Problem Solving Important? 

Problem-solving skills are used throughout childhood into adulthood. As adults, we solve problems on a daily basis. Some problems we solve without thinking much- I wanted to make tacos for dinner but forgot to buy the ground beef. What are we going to have for dinner now?

Other problems are significantly more complicated. 

Problems for kiddos can be problems with friendships, the inability to find something that’s needed, or even what to do when things don’t go your way. 

Kids who lack problem-solving skills struggle to maintain friendships or even begin to attempt to solve their own problems. 

Children who lack problem-solving skills are at a higher risk for depression as well.

What Are Problem-Solving Skills?

Problem-solving skills are:

• Breaking Down a Problem into Smaller Parts
• Communication
• Decision-making
• Logical Reasoning
• Perseverance

That’s a big list to teach toddlers and preschoolers. Where do you begin?

The Problem-Solving Steps

Sometimes kids are so overwhelmed with frustration that it affects their ability to solve problems.

Kids feel safe in routines, and routines help them learn and grow. After a few times of repeating this routine, you’ll find your kiddo starts to do this on their own. 

It’s important not to skip straight to solving the problem , because your kiddo needs to be in a calm state of mind to solve the problem, and also they need to know their feelings are valid. 

• The first thing to do when your kiddo is struggling with problem-solving is to validate their emotions.

In doing this, they will feel more understood and learn that their emotions are okay. There are no bad feelings, and we must learn how to manage our emotions. 

This might sound something like “Oh, I can see you are really frustrated that the block won’t fit on there right. Let’s take some deep breaths to help us calm down before we think about what to do next.”

• Next, work through your calm-down process . This may be taking some deep breaths together, hugging a stuffie, or giving your kiddo some quiet time to calm down their heart and mind.
• Identify the problem . This sounds like something you may have already done (before the meltdown) but it’s important to be very clear on the problem you’re solving. Have the child tell you their problem out loud.
• Move on to solution-finding . When your kiddo is ready, talk about what the problem is and three possible solutions. When possible, let your kiddo do all of the talking. This allows him to practice his problem-solving skills. It’s important to remind him that the first thing he tries may not work, and that’s ok. There’s always another way to solve the problem. If he’s prepared for this, solutions that don’t work won’t be such a frustrating experience. 
• After you’ve done that, test your solutions one by one. See what works. If you haven’t found a solution yet, go back and think of different ways you might be able to solve your problem and try again.

Are you tired of hearing “It’s TOO HARD!” followed by a meltdown?

Using this one simple phrase you’ll get in this powerful lesson, you’ll not only be able to help your kiddo not give up but you’ll:

>Activate their superpower of perseverance so that they can turn around a meltdown and keep trying

>Inspire them to use perseverance …even when it’s hard

>Teach them to recognize the warning signs of giving up , and how to turn it around by taking control of their choices.

Grab your powerful FREE video lesson to teach your kiddo one of the most powerful keys to perseverance.

Powerful Activities that Teach Problem-Solving Skills to Toddlers & Preschoolers

These activities below may look simple, but don’t let that deter you from trying them. A lot happens in little developing brains and these powerful activities help toddlers and preschoolers make connections and develop {many} essential skills-more than just problem-solving.

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Puzzles are fun and a great way to encourage cognitive development in children. They are great for spacial reasoning and strengthening problem-solving skills. They also develop memory skills, critical thinking, and the ability to plan and execute the plan. Toddlers will enjoy the simple puzzles, and preschoolers will do great with floor puzzles with larger puzzle pieces.

Doing Simple Chores

Doing simple chores is a great way to teach children problem-solving skills, and it strengthens responsibility and perseverance as well. 

During the toddler years , you may start with just picking up their toys, or helping you put their dirty clothes in the hamper. 

Preschoolers can take their dirty dishes to the sink (or load them in the dishwasher), collect the trash, dust, wipe baseboards, and do their own personal care items like making their bed, taking care of their dirty clothes, and putting clean clothes away.

Stacking Rings

When watching a toddler play with stacking rings it doesn’t look like much is happening, but playing with these toys is full of ways to encourage development. It helps with visual and spacial perception and planning ahead, but it also with balance control, crossing the midline, creative play, and gross motor skills. Not to mention it’s a great opportunity to practice problem-solving. 

Playing Hide-and-Seek

Hide and seek has many surprising benefits for kids. Playing hide and seek is like a treasure hunt that helps develop gross motor skills and encourages physical development, as well as problem-solving skills. It also helps young children develop visual tracking, working memory, and social-emotional skills.

Imaginative Play

Imaginative play (also called role-play) builds important skills. Through pretending to be in different situations, kids develop social skills, emotional skills, better communication, and problem-solving skills. Imaginative play is a great idea for young toddlers all the way to older children.

Free Play 

Many young children don’t have {enough} time for free play. Free play is important for healthy brain development , not only developing imagination, cooperation, physical skills, and independence but also providing a great opportunity to strengthen problem-solving skills. 

Playing with Wooden Blocks

Building blocks are a fun way for children to develop creative thinking, imagination, problem-solving, fine motor skills, and if working with others, cooperation, communication, and friendship.

Playing Memory

Memory games improve attention, focus, visual recognition, and concentration. It helps children recognize details and of course, strengthens problem-solving skills. 

Ask Questions

When I see my son struggling with something, my first instinct is to give him choices or at least lead him in the right direction. The better thing to do is to ask very open-ended questions that lead his process, not his thoughts.

Questions like “What’s one way to solve your problem?” are much more effective in teaching problem-solving skills than “Well, where did you last see your stuffy?” 

Read Books and Social Stories

Reading books is one of my favorite ways to teach any skill. It’s extremely effective at teaching, and it’s also an amazing bonding time with kids.

When we read stories, our brain reacts as if we’re living in the story. This is why reading books about skills such as problem-solving is so effective. 

Kids of all ages learn from the people they love . (Yes, even those older kids who you don’t think are paying attention.) Often as adults, we’re too busy going through our daily routine to think about talking about the way we solved the problem at work that day.

Talking about how you use skills such as problem-solving, perseverance, and integrity is a great way to set an example, and an expectation that this is how we do things, and it will provide encouragement for your kiddo to do the same.

Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are a great group activity that can strengthen your child’s logical thinking and problem-solving skills.

When Your Kiddo is Ready, Add These Activities

Preschoolers would benefit from all of the fun activities on the list above and when they’re ready, feel free to add in the following activities.   

Mazes are great for problem-solving and perseverance, but your kiddo will need to have decent fine motor skills to do these activities. Mazes are one of our favorite activities. We love to take our activity book of mazes in the car with us for road trips. 

Board Games  

Board games are a good way to strengthen problem-solving, teamwork, planning skills, patience, sportsmanship, and communication skills. They also strengthen family relationships by providing some intentional time of connection .

Any board game can also be turned into an academic game with just a deck of cards for whatever skill you’re working on. If you’re working on the alphabet, put one letter on each card. Before each player’s turn, they draw a letter card and say the letter’s name. (You may accidentally forget the name of a letter every now and then to see if your kiddo is really paying attention!) 

Allow Opportunities for Hands-On Investigations

Kids are tactile. They love to touch and explore things with their hands. This is a good activity for toddlers also, as long as they are out of the putting everything in their mouth stage. Hands-on exploration is great for language development, sensory exploration, and problem-solving.

Allowing kids to investigate with their hands allows them to see how the world works up close. It also gives them time and space to try to make things work…and problem-solve when it doesn’t go as they think it should.

The Most Difficult Way (and Most Important Way) To Strengthen Problem-Solving Skills

Watching our kids struggle is hard ! We don’t want to see them having a hard time…and most of the time we don’t want to deal with the impending meltdown. Standing back and giving our kids time and space to work through even simple problems is hard to do. It’s also the most important way to strengthen problem-solving skills. 

As parents, we’re like frogs in boiling water. When our kids are infants, they need us to recognize their needs and solve them immediately. As they get older, they can point to what they want, but we still have a lot of interpreting and problem-solving to do on our own. If we aren’t careful, we stay in this stage and don’t teach our kiddos the steps to problem-solving for themselves. 

The next most difficult thing? Allowing natural consequences to happen. (As long as your child is safe of course.) If your child saves their money for a long time to buy a new toy, but walks down the toy aisle and picks up something you know they’ll be disappointed with, let it happen. It will teach a valuable lesson that will last for years to come.

Another Essential Part of Problem-Solving

Perseverance is a big part of problem-solving. We are rarely able to solve problems the first time, and it’s essential that kids can find more than one solution to a problem. Studies have found that perseverance is actually the biggest predictor of success, even more than aptitude or raw talent. 

An entire module is dedicated to perseverance in our course for kids, Super Kid Adventures . Your kiddo will get 25 teacher-led lessons on character traits (perseverance, empathy, friendship, responsibility, and wellness) and activities that take their learning further. 

Want a free preview? Grab a FREE Perseverance video lesson that teaches your kiddo one of the most important secrets that help them use perseverance.

Want More? 

If you like this, you’ll love: 

The Ultimate List of Books that Teach Perseverance

7 Simple Ways to Encourage Independence in Young Children

How to Help Your Child Develop Self-Help Skills

Your Turn 

What are your favorite ways to teach problem-solving skills?

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a mama of two boys, a former teacher, and the founder of Discovery Play with Littles. Her mission is to make raising kids with character simple and fun. Join us for our best learning through play ideas, character growth activities, and family connection ideas so you can watch your child thrive.

Reader Interactions

As a SLP trying to guide parents as I work with their child. I would like to know what toys to recommend to my parents as I assist in guiding their child’s development in cognition and expressive language.

Perseverance is the biggest predictor of success, even more than raw talent or aptitude.

Grab a FREE lesson to teach your kiddo one of the keys to perseverance...which is how we talk to our brains.

They'll learn what to say when they encounter something difficult, and why it's so important.

PLAY is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood. -Mr. Rogers

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8 Engaging Problem Solving Activities For Toddlers

Learning to problem solve is an important life skill that is learned through years of practice and patience. These 8 problem solving activities for toddlers and preschoolers are proven ways to help give your child a head start with this skill.

We can not always be there to help our little ones solve their problems. We CAN, however, provide them with the right tools and resources to help them learn to solve problems independently.

What is Problem Solving?

Problem solving is essentially the process of finding a solution to a problem. To successfully problem solve, children first have to analyze the problem in detail, think about it critically, figure out what needs to be done, brainstorm different strategies to remediate the issue, and then evaluate if the solution was successful.

For children, this can be a very complex and difficult process simply because of their lack of experience.

Since we draw on our knowledge and experience when faced with obstacles, it is important we expose our children to activities that will help give them both the knowledge and experience they need to help face these challenges.

Why Problem-Solving is Important for Young Children

Learning to problem solve is incredibly important during early childhood. Not only does it play a major role in a child’s cognitive development , but it is also a critical component of their academic success and ability to maintain healthy relationships.

When children can effectively solve a problem, it drastically improves their self-esteem and self-confidence. This is especially important when it comes to academics.

Children who can not effectively problem solve tend to get frustrated easily and they may begin showing signs of avoidant behaviors. This can cause children to feel incompetent in school and with relationships which can ultimately lead them to falling behind academically.

Luckily, children learn at an incredible rate, especially during those first couple of years. As you expose your child to different problem-solving activities they will gain the confidence needed to face any challenge they may encounter.

Problem Solving Skills in Early Childhood

Problem-solving skills require the cognitive capabilities to think through a problem and take appropriate action. Some problems may need a simple fix while others may require the use of many of these skills.

Examples of Problem Solving Skills:

• Adaptability and flexibility
• Analytical thinking (being able to break a complex problem down into more manageable parts)
• Communication
• Creativity and innovative
• Critical thinking
• Decision making
• Logical Reasoning
• Negotiation

How to Teach Problem Solving Skills (+ Strategies)

The best way to teach this skill is to expose your child to various activities that will require a bit of critical thinking and problem-solving.

The problem solving activities for toddlers listed below is a great place to start!

While this skill can be learned during free play , children will develop even stronger problem-solving skills if you encourage this type of thinking and reasoning during certain activities.

Strategies For Parents, Caregivers, or Teachers:

1. Model problem solving by talking out loud in front of your child

Since children lack the experience, they may find it difficult to problem solve. Try modeling this skill when you run into daily problems.

For example: ”I ran out of sugar to make my coffee sweet. Since I do not have any more sugar, what can I put in my coffee to make it sweet? I will put some honey because honey is naturally very sweet!”.

2. Ask open-ended questions

When children approach you with a problem, try asking open-ended questions to help them solve the issue on their own.

Here are some example questions:

• Why did your blocks fall over? What can we do next time to make it stronger?
• What other games you can play with your ball?
• What are some other things can you use to make the fort bigger?

Sometimes children just need a little push to help them find creative solutions.

3. Avoid fixing every problem for your child

One of the best things you can do for your child is to avoid fixing every problem for them.

Whether it is a toy-related issue, a difficult math equation, or a social conflict with a friend or sibling. Try to encourage your child to solve some of these issues with as much independence as possible.

8 Problem Solving Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Here are 8 simple problem solving activities for toddlers and preschoolers. While these activities may seem to be very simple and basic, do not let that fool you. Learning through play is the best way to ”teach” our children the skill of problem solving.

Puzzles are a great activity to encourage skills like trial and error, persistence, and patience. Each new puzzle presents a new set of challenges that the children have to work through.

When children are around 2 years of age you can start with plastic or wooden shape sorters. As they get older and their skills develop, you can give them more complex puzzles to complete like 9 or 12-piece puzzle sets.

2. Sorting Activities

This activity is so simple because you can sort anything including toys, clothes, and even fruits and veggies.

Children learn to compare, contrast, and classify based on what they are observing. This helps with logical thinking, analytical thinking, and it gives children a sense of order. This type of systematic thinking is very helpful for problem solving because it teaches children to perform tasks in a structured manner, much like the steps to solve a problem.

3. Board Games

Board games are a great problem solving activity for toddlers and preschoolers! I love that it can be interactive with young children and adults!

When children are younger, it is best to start with simple games like Zimboos . This is a stacking game that requires children to analyze, critically think, and collaborate with others to make sure the pyramid stays balanced.

As children get older you can advance to more complex games like Quirkle . This game includes a puzzle-like component that allows children to develop their spatial recognition, planning, and problem solving skills. 

4. Construction Play

Construction play using mega blocks, wooden blocks, or even train track sets is an amazing way to help support your child’s brain and cognitive development.

Everything from planning what they want to build to figuring out what to do when certain pieces don’t fit together helps children learn the foundational skills for problem solving.

These are the types of toys I would encourage all parents to have readily available for their children.

5. Story Time Questions

There are so many amazing benefits of reading to your child and it is one of the best listening activities for kids !

As you read to your child, try making it an engaging experience. You can start by asking them open-ended questions to really help them think through certain problems and scenarios.

Here are some examples of the types of problem-solving questions that can be asked during a read-aloud:

• What healthy foods should the caterpillar have eaten to not get a stomach ache?
• The Duck and Penguin don’t like each other, what can do they to work it out and become friends?
• If you lost your shoe, how would you try and find it?
• If your kite got stuck in the tree, how would you try and get it down?

6. Fort Building

I remember always building forts as a child and constantly running into problems. The blankets were always too small, or I couldn’t get them to stay in place!

This is why it is such a great activity for problem-solving! Children have to plan, make decisions, analyze, evaluate, and solve problems. The best part is that most kids will persevere through despite all these challenges because the end result is so much fun!

7. Simple House Chores

If there is one thing I have learned since becoming a mom is that kids love to help! I really enjoy involving my toddler when I am doing work around the house.

To encourage practice with problem-solving, ask your child questions so they can think of solutions to your problems. If your child is still young, this is a great opportunity to model problem solving by simply talking out loud.

Here are some examples:

• These clothes are really dirty, what should we do?
• How can we make our clean-up time faster?
• There are so many toys on the floor, how can we sort and organize them?

8. Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are an incredible learning activity for kids. Since kids learn best through play , it is important to make learning an enjoyable experience for them.

I love scavenger hunts because of how many different skills are involved. Children have to use their observational skills, critical thinking skills, and imagination to solve the problem and complete the tasks.

These are also very customizable. You can use words, pictures, or even descriptions depending on your child’s skill level.

I hope can incorporate some of these problem solving activities for toddlers into your daily routine to help your child become a master problem solver!

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