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Printable Logic Puzzles for Kids

Here’s a brand new set of worksheets to teach critical math skills: printable logic puzzles for kids! There are 9 puzzles varying from easy to intermediate to difficult. Each worksheet already has a data grid drawn out for kids to practice their deductive reasoning skills. They all also have an answer key – I was never very good at logic puzzles when I was a kid. So I appreciate being able to ensure students are on the right track without having to do each puzzle myself!

We have these puzzles and more in our Big Brain Teasers Book for Kids !

Beginner and Easy Printable Logic Puzzles for Kids

Intermediate Logic Puzzles for Kids

Difficult Logic Puzzles for Kids

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Founder and CEO of Woo! Jr. Kids Activities, Wendy loves creating crafts, activities and printables that help teachers educate and give parents creative ways to spend time with their children.

I am very interested in these logic puzzles, but the “Click To Print” button is not working for me. Would you have any suggestions as to why? Thank you!!

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Your logic puzzles would be perfect for some students I work with. Is it OK to reproduce them for students at a school as long as they’re attributed to you? Or would you limit the number of students I could use them with? Or? Thanks David

Hi David – we have free unlimited use for educational purposes. As long as you aren’t charging for the use, you are free to use them in your classroom as much as you’d like!

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17 Fun Problem Solving Activities for Kids

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Last Updated on December 28, 2022 by Kristian Surban

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.

Check Price on Amazon!

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 .

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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Check out this FREE "Problem-solving practice" Trial Lesson!

Standard Addition

• Problem-solving practice

Adding up to 1000 Without Regrouping: Page 54

Adding up to 100: Page 2

Adding up to 50 with Regrouping: Page 33

Merry Bus Equations Worksheet

Addition with Regrouping Worksheet

Addition Equations With Base 10 Blocks Worksheet

Check Bingo Worksheet

Adding 2-digit Numbers: Page 1

Adding Numbers: Conservation Worksheet

Adding up to 50 Without Regrouping: Page 18

Adding Up to 5 in the Forest: Page 2

Number Stories One More – Assessment 2 Worksheet

Smart Shopping: Trade Tens for a Hundred Worksheet

What Is a Line Plot? Worksheet

Adding up to 100 Without Regrouping: Page 64

Fractions: Pizza Printable

Adding Up to 5 with Busy Bugs: Page 71

Comparing Shares Worksheet

How Knight Captures Worksheet

How King Captures Worksheet

Adding up to 100 Without Regrouping: Page 18

Adding up to 100 with Regrouping: Page 3

Adding up to 1000: Page 70

Adding up to 100: Page 71

Question/answer, how does the mastery of the problem-solving practice skill affect a student's performance at an early age.

Mastery of problem-solving skills at an early age significantly enhances a student’s performance by improving critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability. It fosters resilience in facing challenges, encourages independent learning, and develops the ability to apply knowledge in various contexts.

How to test a Grade 2 student’s Problem-solving practice skills?

To test a Grade 2 student's problem-solving skills, provide them with age-appropriate puzzles, logic problems, or math word problems that require critical thinking. Observe how they approach the problem, ask clarifying questions, and apply their knowledge to find solutions. Evaluating both their process and their answers gives insight into their problem-solving abilities.

How to train the Problem-solving practice skill in Grade 2 students learning about Adding up to 100 Misc?

To train Grade 2 students in problem-solving for adding up to 100, use a variety of hands-on activities and visual aids like number lines, charts, and manipulatives. Incorporate games and puzzles that require them to apply addition strategies. Practice with word problems that relate to real-life scenarios to enhance their understanding and application of the skill.

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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.

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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.

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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20 Fun Conflict Resolution Activities for Kids (Printable PDF): Worksheets, Games and Activities

Conflict resolution activities for kids: In this post, we will explore different strategies to help kids deal with conflict. We will also list fun and easy activities that you can add to your conflict resolution lessons or use at home with your kids. And, at the end of the post, you will be able to download some conflict-resolution worksheets.

We all go through conflict and arguments in our everyday life. Learning healthy ways to handle conflict is an invaluable social skill to develop in our kids 

Luckily, there are some really creative ways to help teach kids all about conflict resolution. 

(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. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There may also be other affiliate links in this post. You can also read our Disclosure & Disclaimer policy here )  

What is Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is the process used to manage or settle our differences using different conflict resolution strategies.

Ideally, we will try to achieve positive outcomes that will satisfy or be beneficial for all parties sides.

Conflict-resolution is similar to problem-solving. In conflicts though, we may see ourselves inundated with strong feelings (anger, frustration, sense of injustice). 

Managing those feelings will be an important first step before we attempt an effective problem-solving strategy .

Conflict Resolution Techniques

There are different classifications that map conflict resolution styles and techniques.

We will briefly review a couple of them because they are a good foundation for understanding conflict resolution’s intricacies.

We’ll start with one of the most popular ones:

The Five Conflict-Handling Modes

Thomas (1976) classifies interpersonal conflict-handling behavior in a model with two basic dimensions:

• Assertiveness (attempting to satisfy our own concerns)
• Cooperativeness (trying to satisfy other people’s concerns too)

This two-dimensional model results in five conflict-handling modes:

• Collaborating (assertive & cooperative)
• Competing (assertive & non-cooperative)
• Compromising (an intermediate level of both assertiveness and cooperativeness)
• Avoiding (unassertive & uncooperative)
• Accommodating (unassertive & cooperative)

In plain words:

• Collaborating: kids look for ways to solve the conflict that bring the best outcome for both parties (the famous win-win situation)
• Competing: we only care about our own goals and are not trying to accommodate the needs of others
• Compromising: we try to look for a solution that may not be our preferred one but is acceptable for all parties involved
• Avoiding: one of the parties may not be as invested in the problem, or prefers to avoid confrontation, and decides to withdraw from the argument
• Accommodating: a kid may choose to neglect their own preferences to satisfy the preferences of the other person

Related Reading: How to Teach Assertiveness to Kids

Other Conflict Resolution Strategies

If we take into consideration the parties involved in a conflict, we could also list the following strategies:

• Negotiation
• Arbitration
• Litigation (which obviously does not apply to our topic here)

What would these look like for our kids: We will focus on how this translates to conflict resolution for kids:

• Negotiation: kids brainstorm satisfactory solutions to their problems and reach a win-win solution. If they can’t find a good solution, they may need to look for a compromise
• Mediation: when kids can’t resolve the conflict on their own, they may need a neutral third party (teacher, parent, caregiver) that helps them come up with a solution rather than imposing it.
• Arbitration: we would arrive here when kids can’t agree, so the neutral third party will need to put the argument to rest deciding on the best solution after listening to both sides.

Why is Conflict Resolution Important for Kids

Children need essential skills like navigating difficult situations to get a peaceful solution.

Benefits to developing conflict resolution skills:

• develop communication skills
• strengthen friendships
• learn goal setting
• solve conflicts in a peaceful way

Conflict resolution requires the development of a number of social skills like:

• problem-solving
• managing negative feelings and big emotions
• collaboration
• flexible thinking
• compromising
• effective communication
• acceptance of diversity

It is when someone in a conflict situation takes the time to consider the emotions of everyone else involved. If kids are able to develop this skill through effective communication and strong emotional intelligence , it will help them solve problems in a more effective way throughout their life. 

There are many ways to help kids grow their ability to resolve conflict that can be fun and informative. Keep reading to learn some of the most popular conflict resolution activities…

Healthy Ways to Deal with Conflict

There are healthy and unhealthy ways to deal with conflict.

These are some examples of unhealthy ways kids can use to deal with conflict:

• Not caring about the other person’s view
• Holding a grudge
• Big emotional reactions like getting very angry, shouting, calling names, threatening
• Not being able to compromise
• Giving up on something that is important to you

Examples of healthy ways to approach conflict may include:

• Caring about the other person’s view
• Using your calm and assertive voice to express your feelings
• Not taking things too personally
• Learning to forgive
• Being able to compromise
• Working to find solutions that can accommodate both sides (negotiation)

20 Conflict Resolution Activities for Kids

Wondering how to teach conflict resolution to kids?

Discuss conflict at home or school. Choose topics from the news, a conflict at work, something that happened at school, or even made-up conflict scenarios.

Beyond having conversations, there are some great activities that kids can do individually or as a group to help foster this vital skill. 

Here are 20 of the best conflict resolution activities for kids that can help build the valuable lifelong skill of resolving conflict peacefully.

The activities below fall under the following categories:

Conflict Resolution Worksheets

• Conflict Resolution Activities
• Conflict Resolution Games 

Some of these activities will be a great addition to a lesson plan. 

Conflict resolution is, in essence, a social problem-solving situation. 

In this worksheet, we will follow the steps for problem-solving, with an important addition (calm-down):

• Calm down so that you can deal with the conflict
• What is the problem/conflict
• Listen to the other side
• Think about possible solutions
• Check pros and cons 
• Decide what solution works best for all (win-win if possible)

You can download this conflict resolution worksheet at the end of the post.

This conflict resolution worksheet will work on the different conflict-handling modes:

• competition
• accommodating.

Identify a conflict scenario, and ask your students to write examples for each conflict resolution strategy.

Your downloadable worksheet includes an example of a conflict scenario (Tim & Ellis want the same book) and a blank worksheet (for your own examples).

In this activity, we will try to connect the size of our problem, with different ways of dealing with conflict.

Conflict resolution strategies include negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.

Depending on the type of conflict kids are dealing with, they may be able to deal with that conflict on their own (little problem), or they may need to involve an adult in the situation (mediation/arbitration for big problems)

Fun Conflict Resolution Activities for the Classroom / Groups

4. Conflict Resolution Role Play

On a popsicle stick, write out common conflicts that children face. Once you have around 20, have two students stand in front of the class and act out the situation that the popsicle stick says. 

Once they act it out, have the class discuss different solutions to how the problem could be solved either as a group or in small groups.

Variation: if the different scenarios you are choosing are a bit complicated for the popsicle stick, you can write them down on pieces of paper and put them in a jar or a box.

5. Write it Out

Using the popsicle sticks from the last activity, have the students all draw a different scenario and then write how they think the conflict should be resolved. 

In small groups of three or four, have the students share what their popsicle sticks had written on them, and how they would solve the problem. 

6. Negotiation Scenario Activity

This is a great conflict resolution activity to help kids understand that there are always different points of view.

Create a conflict scenario where neither of the two parties has all the information about the other party. If both parties negotiate, they can reach a solution that will be good for both of them, but they need to listen to each other to be able to come up with the solution.

An example:

• (Part 1) Two students need the same book for a school essay (for example, “How dinosaurs became extinct”) They only have one day to write their piece, there is only one copy in the school library and neither of them wants to give it up. Let the students discuss how to deal with this conflict
• (Part 2) Provide each student with some additional information: Student A (Annie) would prefer to write about inspiring women role models, but she couldn’t find anything on that topic. Student B (Amanda) loves dinosaurs and is really keen on writing on this topic. On her birthday, she was gifted the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls book. That could be an excellent choice to inspire Annie’s essay.  Ask the students to go back to the negotiations, and suggest they explore why the other party wishes to write about the chosen topic. Are the solutions different this time

7. Create a Short Story

Ask your students to develop a story that recreates a conflict and how it gets solved.

8. Exploring Feelings

Read aloud to your students a scenario that could bring out different emotions.

It could be something as simple as:

• Scenario 1: parent is late for school pick up, and they are going to miss the football match
• Scenario 2: a classmate declines your invitation for a playdate.  

Have everyone write down how that would make them feel on a 5×8 notecard, then hold it up.

Ask them to share what they have written and learn how the same scenario can bring different feelings in each person:

• a kid may assume their parents got stuck in traffic, while some other may feel they don’t care if they miss sports 
• a student may assume that their friend is very busy, while another may feel their friend doesn’t care and may look for other friendships

Our feelings play an important role in how we deal with a situation.

9. Listening Activity

An important part of conflict resolution is listening to the other side.

Following up on the previous activity, let’s now add new pieces of information

• Scenario 1: there was a big traffic jam, and the parent’s phone was out of battery
• Scenario 2: your friend has swimming lessons on the day you suggested (and since you proposed the same day each time, they kept declining) 

After listening to the other side, how would you approach this argument/conflict?

Related Reading: Listening Games and Activities for Kids

10. Conflict Resolution Writing Prompt

Have your students write out the sentence “I would get into a fight with someone if they tried to take away_________.”

Then have them write down why that item is so important to them that they would want to get into a fight. 

The idea behind this is that they realize that most conflicts aren’t worth it. 

11. Healthy vs. Unhealthy Conflict Resolution

Have your kids write down ways to solve a conflict scenario. They don’t need to be the best solutions. , we are just brainstorming anything that crosses their minds.

Once they have come up with all these solutions, ask them to classify them as healthy vs. unhealthy. 

Tip: Go back to our “healthy ways to deal with conflict” section for some inspiration or examples

12. Conflict Resolution Books for Kids

• Speak Up and Get Along is a chapter book for kids age 8 to 12 and is an excellent resource. 

This social skills book shares twenty-one strategies children can use to end arguments and fights, make friends and stop bullying. It provides age-appropriate examples and lines they can practice and role-play. 

We can’t deal with a conflict if we are feeling overwhelmed with intense feelings. The next suggestions focus on calming down so that we are ready to deal with conflict appropriately

13. Learning to Deal with your Anger

There are many anger management activities that can help kids deal with their emotions. 

Check out the Cool Kid Journal (Anger activities for kids) to explore healthy ways of dealing with anger (it includes 70 gorgeous calm down cards).

14. Practice Taking Deep Breaths

A simple activity for kids of all ages is to practice taking deep breaths when they are upset.

This will help them calm down so that you can discuss a way to deal with the problem. 

Recommended Reading: Fun Breathing Exercises for Kids

15. Model in your own life

Whether you share a story of a time when you needed to resolve conflict or show it in a real-life scenario, adults are the best teachers in explaining conflict resolution.

16. Friendship Activities

If a child in your life seems to be having a hard time staying out of conflict, it might be time to discuss what having a good friend should look like. 

While conflict is a part of life, it doesn’t need to be a daily occurrence throughout elementary school and middle school. Instead, encourage your child to work towards healthy friendships.

Recommended reading: Friendship Activities for Kids (includes a worksheet that explores unhealthy bad signs in a friendship /warning signs /healthy/good signs)

17. Conflict Resolution Journal

Have your kids sit down and journal a personal conflict. Then, have them list out different ways that they can resolve that conflict.

Conflict Resolution Games

A great way to learn new skills is playing.

Let’s take a look at some conflict resolution games:

18. 6 Conflict & Resolution Games This game is not just one game, but several great conflict resolution games.

Let’s check a couple of examples

• Spinning the wheel game presents social scenarios, and you need to provide possible solutions. After you spin the wheel, you need to come up with a solution in one of the following categories: me, other, or all (depending on who benefits from the solution).  This game explores competition and compromising
• “Are you a bully” is a game inspired by the Snake & Ladders setup that presents bullying/mean situations vs. kind social responses

-> Check out this game

19. Social Skills Group Activity

In this game , players need to discuss socially challenging situations. They include boards on six different topics: morals, manners, empathy, friendship, and two boards on emotions (showing and managing them).

The manners game is actually a conflict resolutions game, and the players have to answer questions like:

• you see a friend stealing something from a shop
• you see a friend cheating during a test
• you are served a meal you don’t like at a friend’s house

These types of questions present a perfect opportunity to brainstorm solutions to a conflict and to discuss the size of the problem and whether it is big enough to engage the help of an adult.

And let’s finish our list with a fun video.

20. How to Explain Conflict to Kids (Video)

In this Sesame Street video, our beloved Robin Williams teaches kids the meaning of conflict.

Other Social Skills Resources

These are some helpful resources to help kids build social skills:

• 25 Problem-Solving Activities for Kids
• I-Statement Worksheets
• Self-Introduction for Kids (Worksheets)
• Social Skills Activities for Kids
• Conversation Starters for Kids
• Listening Games and Activities
• Apology Worksheets and Activities
• Friendship Activities for Kids
• Turn-Taking Activities for Kids
• Fun Emotional Intelligence Activities for Kids

Conflict Resolution Activities (Worksheets / PDF Download)

it s very useful.

Very well made. Thanks

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Problem Solving Worksheets

Customize problem solving worksheets.

What is Problem Solving?

It is the cognitive process of identifying, analyzing, and finding solutions to challenges or issues. It involves using logical and creative thinking to address obstacles that occur, make decisions, and achieve goals. Consider the five problem-solving steps: identifying the problem, generating possible solutions, evaluating options, selecting the best solution, and implementing it. Understanding the steps is crucial for navigating complex challenges with clarity and efficiency.

What are Problem Solving Worksheets?

These worksheets are structured in such a way that encourages solution-based thinking. Engaging in interactive problem-solving activities can help develop critical thinking skills and creative approaches to overcoming obstacles. While these skills are used in a variety of aspects of life, our worksheets focus on problem solving in mathematics. Printable worksheets provide practice for any child who is learning to master new skills they are taught in class. They are perfect for any level, and can be applied to any type of mathematical problem or unit of study.

Why are They Important and How are They Best Used?

They are great for ensuring that students practice what they have yet to master, since they can be customized by the teacher to meet the class and individual needs. They can be used to practice all kinds of word problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and so much more.

In a world where challenges are inevitable, the ability to tackle problems effectively is a valuable skill that can be applied across all subjects and age groups. Problem-solving skills are the generator of success. They empower individuals to navigate complex situations, identify triggers, and develop plans to overcome obstacles. From the classroom to the boardroom, these skills are in high demand.

Tailoring Problem-Solving Worksheets for Different Subjects

Mathematics.

Math problem-solving worksheets can be a playground for nurturing critical thinking. Through word problem worksheets, students not only practice calculations but also apply math concepts to real-world scenarios.

Scientific problem-solving worksheets ignite curiosity. They prompt students to hypothesize, design experiments, collect data, and draw conclusions, fostering a scientific mindset.

Language Arts

Language skills and critical thinking intertwine in language arts problem-solving worksheets. Analyzing literature, engaging in creative writing prompts, and correcting grammar offer a holistic approach.

Social Studies

History comes to life through problem-solving worksheets. Encourage students to ponder over historical dilemmas and global challenges, nurturing their ability to think beyond the surface.

Math Worksheet Activity Ideas

• "Math Detective" Challenge: Create a set of worksheets featuring a fictional mystery storyline. Each worksheet presents a clue that requires students to solve a math problem to unveil the next piece of the puzzle. This engaging activity encourages critical and sequential thinking.
• "Math Menu" Project: Design a menu-style worksheet with various math problems categorized by difficulty levels. Allow students to choose a certain number of problems from each category to complete, giving them autonomy and catering to their individual skill levels.
• "Design Your Dream House" Activity: Provide a worksheet that guides students through designing their dream house layout. They need to calculate room dimensions, total area, and even budget constraints. This hands-on activity integrates math into real-life scenarios.
• "Math Art Gallery" Exhibition: Assign each student a famous artwork and create a worksheet that involves geometric calculations related to the art's dimensions and shapes. Students can then present their findings in a "Math Art Gallery" exhibition.
• "Math in the News" Analysis: Collect recent news articles that involve math-related concepts, such as statistics, percentages, or data analysis. Provide worksheets that require students to analyze the math behind the news and discuss its implications.
• "Budgeting for Vacation" Project: Design a project-based worksheet where students plan a vacation, considering expenses like transportation, accommodations, and activities. They must budget and calculate costs while staying within a specified budget.
• "Math Around the World" Exploration: Create a worksheet that presents math problems related to different countries' cultures, currencies, and measurements. Students solve problems like converting currencies or calculating time zone differences.
• "Mathopoly" Board Game: Design a problem-solving board game where players move through spaces by solving math problems. This interactive approach adds an element of fun while reinforcing math skills.
• "Math Olympiad Simulation" Practice: Prepare a set of challenging math problems similar to those in Math Olympiad competitions. Have students work on these problems individually or in teams to sharpen their skills.
• "Math Interview" Project: Assign each student a famous mathematician or scientist and provide a worksheet that guides them to research and create interview-style questions. This encourages exploration of math history and its relevance.
• "Math Escape Room" Challenge: Develop a series of interconnected math problems that lead students through a virtual "escape room." They must solve each problem correctly to advance to the next step and eventually "escape."
• "Data Analysis Report" Assignment: Provide students with a dataset related to a topic of interest, such as sports statistics or environmental data. They must analyze the data, create graphs, and present their findings in a structured report.
• "Math and Music Fusion" Project: Combine math with music by providing a worksheet that explores concepts like rhythm, frequency, and ratios in music. Students can calculate beats per minute, analyze musical patterns, and even compose their own melodies.
• "Math Recipe Creation" Challenge: Ask students to create a new recipe by adjusting ingredient quantities based on serving sizes. They must calculate ratios, proportions, and conversions to ensure the recipe's success.

Designing Effective Problem-Solving Worksheets

Creating successful problem-solving worksheets involves careful planning. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Define the Learning Objective: Clarify the specific mathematical concept you want to reinforce with the worksheet. Outline the steps involved and determine how this worksheet will contribute to improving their skills.
• Select a Problem Type: Choose a math problem type that aligns with the learning objective. It could involve algebraic equations, geometry calculations, or even practical scenarios related to everyday life.
• Structure the Steps: Break down the problem-solving process into logical steps. Ensure that each step reflects the problem solving steps you want students to follow, such as understanding the problem, planning, solving, and verifying.
• Incorporate Interactive Elements: Integrate interactive elements like multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blanks, or even drawing areas to encourage problem solving exercises within the worksheet.
• Utilize Graphic Organizers: Introduce a visual problem solving graphic organizer to help students map out their thinking. This can include spaces for writing down given information, variables, and equations.
• Provide a Problem Solving Template: Offer a structured template that guides students through the problem-solving process. Include prompts and placeholders for each step to provide clear direction.
• Encourage Exploration: Inspire students to explore different types of techniques to arrive at solutions. Encourage them to think critically and try various strategies before settling on an approach.

By incorporating these elements, you can create a comprehensive problem solving worksheet for kids that not only teaches mathematical concepts but also equips them with transferable skills. Whether you're focusing on basic arithmetic or more advanced mathematical principles, this approach ensures an engaging and educational experience for young learners.

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How to Make a Problem Solving Worksheet

Choose one of the premade templates.

We have lots of templates to choose from. Take a look at our example for inspiration!

Click on “Copy Template”

Once you do this, you will be directed to the storyboard creator.

Give Your Worksheet a Name!

Be sure to call it something related to the topic so that you can easily find it in the future.

Edit Your Worksheet

This is where you will include directions, specific images, and make any aesthetic changes that you would like. The options are endless!

Click "Save and Exit"

When you are finished, click this button in the lower right hand corner to exit your storyboard.

From here you can print, download as a PDF, attach it to an assignment and use it digitally, and more!

Happy Creating!

Frequently Asked Questions About Problem Solving Worksheets

How can math problem-solving worksheets show students how to improve problem-solving skills.

They provide structured exercises that guide students through real-world scenarios. By actively engaging in these worksheets and activities, children can practice the problem solving process, enhancing their critical thinking and logical reasoning abilities.

What strategies can I use to teach problem-solving skills using math worksheets?

Incorporate helpful math problem solving worksheets for kids into your lessons. Support and encourage students to work through the problem-solving steps: understanding the problem, devising strategies, making calculations, and verifying their solutions. Provide examples, guidance, and feedback to nurture their problem-solving skills.

How can I ensure that students grasp the problem-solving process effectively?

Provide clear instructions in your math problem-solving worksheets that guide students through each step of the process. Offer examples and encourage them to discuss their approaches. By nurturing a supportive and collaborative environment, you can help both younger kids and older kids build confidence in their problem solving skills.

What are specific examples of how to teach problem-solving skills in math using pre-answered solution worksheets?

Teaching problem-solving skills in math using pre-answered solution worksheets can be exemplified through scenarios like quadratic equations. Present the class with a quadratic equation and a pre-answered solution that breaks down the steps of factoring or using the quadratic formula. This guides them to understand the process, identify key components, and apply appropriate methods. Similarly, for geometry, offer a challenging problem involving angles or area calculations, along with a pre-answered solution that demonstrates the application of relevant geometric principles. As students work through the problem and compare their reasoning with the pre-answered solution, they grasp problem-solving strategies, logical sequences, and the importance of meticulous calculations. In both cases, these worksheets instill confidence, reinforce systematic approaches, and enhance students' problem-solving skills while navigating mathematical complexities.

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Printable Logic Puzzles for Kids: Fun and Educational Brain Teasers

Printable logic puzzles for kids are an excellent way to keep children entertained while also improving their problem-solving skills. These puzzles are designed to challenge kids’ critical thinking abilities and deductive reasoning, making them an excellent educational tool for parents and educators alike. With a wide range of difficulty levels, there are new puzzles suitable for children of all ages and skill levels that are also  great gift ideas for tweens  or kids.

Whether your child is just learning to read or is already a skilled problem solver, printable logic puzzles provide a fun and engaging way to keep them intellectually stimulated. These puzzles can be completed individually or in groups, making them a great activity for family game night or classroom use. With a variety of themes and styles to choose from, kids can explore different topics while honing their analytical skills.

Printable logic puzzles for kids are also an excellent way to help children develop perseverance and patience. These logic games require careful attention to detail and the ability to think critically, which can help kids build resilience and persistence in the face of challenges. By providing kids with fun brain teasers that are engaging help develop these essential life skills, parents and educators can help set them up for success both in and out of the classroom.

Understanding Logic Puzzles

Logic puzzles are a fun and engaging way to develop critical thinking skills in kids. These puzzles require deductive reasoning, logical reasoning, problem-solving, analysis, and modeling, making them an excellent tool for cognitive development.

Logic puzzles for kids come in many different forms, including grid puzzles, riddles, and visual puzzles. The goal of these puzzles is to use clues and information provided to deduce the correct answer.

One of the essential skills required to solve logic puzzles is deductive reasoning. This skill involves using the information provided to eliminate incorrect answers and narrow down the possibilities until the correct answer is found. Deductive reasoning is an essential skill for problem-solving and critical thinking, making logic puzzles a great way to develop this skill in kids.

Another important skill required for solving logic puzzles is logical reasoning. This skill involves using logical rules and patterns to deduce the correct answer. Logical reasoning is a crucial skill for many areas of life, including mathematics, science, and computer programming.

When kids solve logic puzzles, they are also developing their problem-solving skills. They learn to approach problems systematically, breaking them down into smaller, more manageable parts. This skill is essential for many areas of life, including school, work, and personal life.

Overall, logic puzzles are an excellent tool for developing critical thinking skills in kids. They require deductive reasoning, logical reasoning, problem-solving, analysis, and modeling, making them a fun and engaging way to develop cognitive skills.

Types of Logic Puzzles

There are various types of printable logic puzzles available for kids, each with its own unique set of challenges. Here are some of the most popular types of logic puzzles:

Easy Puzzles

Easy puzzles are ideal for younger kids or beginners who are just starting to learn logical reasoning. These puzzles usually have simple clues and straightforward solutions that can be easily deduced.

Medium Puzzles

Medium puzzles are slightly more challenging than easy puzzles, but they still have relatively simple solutions. These puzzles can be a good choice for kids who have some experience with logic puzzles and are ready to take on a slightly more difficult challenge.

Hard Puzzles

Hard puzzles  are the most challenging type of logic puzzle and are designed to test even the most experienced puzzle solvers. These puzzles often have complex clues and require a lot of deductive reasoning to solve.

Sudoku Puzzles

Sudoku puzzles  are a popular type of logic puzzle that involves placing numbers in a grid. The objective is to fill the grid so that each row, column, and 3×3 sub-grid contains all of the numbers from 1 to 9. Sudoku puzzles can be found in varying levels of difficulty, from easy to extremely challenging.

Logic Grid Puzzles

Logic grid puzzles, also known as logic puzzles or logic problems, are puzzles that involve using deductive reasoning to solve a problem. These puzzles usually involve a grid or table with a set of clues that provide information about a group of people or objects. The objective is to use the clues to figure out the solution to the problem.

Word Puzzles

Word puzzles are puzzles that involve words or letters. These puzzles can be crossword puzzles, word searches, or other types of puzzles that involve finding words or letters in a grid.

Mazes are puzzles that involve finding a path through a complex network of passages. These puzzles can be found in varying levels of difficulty, from easy to extremely challenging.

Overall, printable logic puzzles are a great way to help kids develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Whether they are working on easy puzzles or tackling more challenging ones, kids will enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with solving a puzzle.

Printable Logic Puzzles

Printable logic puzzles are a great way to teach critical thinking skills to kids. These puzzles are designed to challenge the mind and help develop deductive reasoning abilities. There are many different types of logic puzzles available, ranging from easy to difficult, and they can be printed out for free.

Basic 1 PDF

Basic 1 PDF is a collection of logic puzzles that are perfect for beginners. These puzzles are designed to be simple and easy to understand, making them great for younger children. They are also a great way to introduce kids to the concept of logic puzzles.

Basic 2 PDF

Basic 2 PDF is a collection of slightly more challenging logic puzzles. These puzzles are perfect for kids who have already mastered the basics of logic puzzles and are ready for a slightly more difficult challenge. They are designed to be fun and engaging, while still helping to develop critical thinking skills.

Basic 3 PDF

Basic 3 PDF is a collection of logic puzzles that are even more challenging than Basic 2. These puzzles are designed to be difficult and will require more advanced critical thinking skills to solve. They are perfect for older kids who are looking for a challenge.

Easter Eggs PDF

Easter Eggs PDF is a collection of logic puzzles with an Easter theme. These puzzles are perfect for kids who love Easter and are looking for a fun way to celebrate the holiday. They are designed to be challenging, while still being fun and engaging.

In conclusion, printable logic puzzles are a great way to teach critical thinking skills to kids. They are available in many different levels of difficulty, making them perfect for kids of all ages. Whether you are looking for a simple puzzle for beginners or a more challenging puzzle for older kids, there is a printable logic puzzle out there for you.

Logic Puzzles for Kids

Logic puzzles are a great way to challenge kids’ critical thinking skills while keeping them engaged and entertained. They are perfect for kids who love puzzles, riddles, and brain teasers. There are many types of logic puzzles, but they all require the same basic skills: deductive reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical thinking.

For kids who are new to logic puzzles, it’s important to start with puzzles that are easy to understand and solve. Beginner-level logic puzzles are designed to introduce kids to the basic concepts of deductive reasoning and problem-solving. These puzzles typically involve simple scenarios with a few clues that help kids deduce the correct answer.

Very Easy Puzzles

Once kids have mastered the beginner-level puzzles, they can move on to very easy puzzles. These puzzles are slightly more challenging than beginner-level puzzles but still designed for kids who are new to logic puzzles. Very easy puzzles typically involve a few more clues and slightly more complex scenarios than beginner-level puzzles.

Printable logic puzzles are a great way to introduce kids to the world of logic puzzles. They can be printed out and solved on paper, making them easy to take on the go or use in the classroom. There are many websites that offer free printable logic puzzles for kids, including Woo! Jr. Kids Activities, Aha! Puzzles, and Brainzilla. These websites offer a variety of puzzles at different levels of difficulty, making it easy to find puzzles that are appropriate for your child’s skill level.

In addition to printable puzzles, there are also many puzzle books and apps available that offer a wide variety of logic puzzles for kids. These resources can be a great way to keep kids engaged and challenged while also helping them develop critical thinking skills.

Resources for Logic Puzzles

Logic puzzles can be a fun and engaging way for kids to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Here are some resources to help you find printable logic puzzles for kids.

There are many books available that contain logic puzzles for kids. Some popular options include:

• “The Everything Kids’ Math Puzzles Book” by Meg Clemens and Sean Clemens
• “Mind-Boggling Math: A Visual Guide to Number Fun” by DK
• “The Big Book of Brain Games for Kids: 1000 PlayThinks of Art, Mathematics & Science” by Ivan Moscovich

There are also many websites that offer free printable logic puzzles for kids. Some popular options include:

• Aha! Puzzles: This website offers a variety of logic puzzles, including very easy puzzles for beginners and more challenging puzzles for advanced solvers.
• Brainzilla: This website offers printable logic grid puzzles that are grouped by difficulty level.
• Woo! Jr. Kids Activities: This website offers a set of worksheets with 9 logic puzzles varying from easy to difficult.

In addition to books and websites, there are also apps available that offer logic puzzles for kids. Some popular options include:

• Logic Playground: This app offers a variety of logic puzzles for kids ages 5-8.
• Thinkrolls: This app offers a series of logic puzzles that gradually increase in difficulty.
• Puzzle Baron: This app offers a variety of puzzles, including logic puzzles, for kids and adults.

No matter which resource you choose, logic puzzles can be a great way to keep kids engaged and learning. With so many options available, it’s easy to find printable logic puzzles that are just right for your child’s skill level and interests.

Solving Logic Puzzles

Logic puzzles are a great way to challenge kids’ critical thinking skills. Solving these puzzles requires focus and the ability to think logically. Here are some tips for solving logic puzzles:

If your child is struggling with a puzzle, offer them some hints to guide them in the right direction. For example, if they are having trouble with a deduction, you could suggest that they try eliminating some possibilities to narrow down the options. However, be careful not to give away too much information, as the challenge of the puzzle is what makes it fun and rewarding.

After your child has completed a puzzle, it can be helpful to review the answer key with them. This will allow them to see where they went wrong and learn from their mistakes. Encourage them to compare their thought process with the answer key to see where they could have made different deductions.

Final Answer

When your child has arrived at their final answer, encourage them to double-check their work to ensure that they have not made any mistakes. Remind them to read the question carefully and make sure that their answer matches the requirements of the puzzle. If they are unsure of their answer, encourage them to go back and review their deductions to see if they missed anything.

Overall, solving logic puzzles can be a fun and rewarding activity for kids. By offering hints, reviewing the answer key, and double-checking their work, they can develop their critical thinking skills and become more confident problem-solvers.

Benefits of Logic Puzzles

Logic puzzles are a fun and engaging way to help children develop critical thinking skills. These puzzles require children to use their deductive reasoning and problem-solving skills to solve a problem or figure out a pattern. Here are some of the benefits of logic puzzles for kids:

1. Develops Critical Thinking Skills

Logic puzzles help children to develop critical thinking skills, which are essential for success in school and beyond. By solving puzzles, children learn to think logically, analyze information, and make informed decisions. These skills are important for problem-solving in all areas of life.

2. Enhances Problem-Solving Skills

Logic puzzles require children to use their problem-solving skills to figure out a solution. This helps them to develop their ability to analyze a problem, break it down into smaller parts, and come up with a solution. These skills are important for success in school and in life.

3. Improves Concentration

Solving logic puzzles requires concentration and focus. Children must pay attention to the details of the puzzle and use their critical thinking skills to solve it. This helps to improve their concentration and focus, which can be beneficial in other areas of life as well.

4. Boosts Memory

Logic puzzles also help to boost memory. Children must remember the clues and information they have gathered to solve the puzzle. This helps to improve their memory and recall skills, which can be useful in school and in everyday life.

5. Fun and Engaging

Logic puzzles are a fun and engaging way to learn. Children enjoy the challenge of solving a puzzle and the sense of accomplishment when they succeed. This can help to motivate them to learn and develop their critical thinking skills.

Overall, logic puzzles are a great way to help children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a fun and engaging way. By incorporating logic puzzles into their learning, children can improve their concentration, memory, and ability to analyze and solve problems.

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Home » Games » 17 Fun Problem Solving Activities & Games [for Kids, Adults and Teens]

17 Fun Problem Solving Activities & Games [for Kids, Adults and Teens]

Everyone should learn problem solving, as it is important in both our personal and professional lives. Problems occur all around us and many people react with spontaneous emotion. Instead, effective use of problem solving skills can lead to rational thinking, a component of any successful endeavor.

Creative problem involves using one or more of the basic steps of problem solving in exercises designed to challenge the thinking. Problem solving activities work for every age group. In this article, we will present problem-solving activities for adults and kids. We will also provide you with group and team building problem solving ideas.

Table of Contents

There are four basic steps in problem solving:

• define the problem
• generate possible solutions
• evaluate and select possible solutions
• implement solutions

Problem solving activities use one of more of these steps.

Group Problem Solving Activities

Group activities provide an effective way to learn problem-solving skills. The following list of activities present problem solving skills in the form of games, a non-threatening and fun way.

Divide your group into teams of equal numbers. Give each team a ball of yarn. Instruct the teams to create a web using only the yarn. Once the teams have finished (you may have to set an amount of time for completion), switch the teams around so that every team has a web other than their own. Each team then blindfolds one team member. The goal is for the blindfolded individual to unwind the web following the verbal instruction of their teammates. In order to be successful, team members must concentrate, and give/follow directions. The first team that has dismantled the web wins this game.

To Do Scavenger Hunt

This scavenger hunt game involves solving a list of problem activities. Begin by dividing your group into teams. Give each group a list of to do activities. The list should begin with some simple tasks, with increasingly more difficult activities. Some suggested activities are:

• Write a one hundred word poem on a given theme.
• Find an object readily available in the area in which you are playing
• Drink a whole can or glass of a liquid
• Solve a Sudoku or cross word puzzle
• Write out all the lyrics of a song (a Christmas carol works well at holiday time)

The team that completes all the activities first, wins.

Impromptu Skits

Prior to playing this game, write down a few appropriate situations that deal events in the venue in which you are playing. For example, for a group involved in customer service, use dealing with an angry customer on the phone. If you have a large group, divide them into teams of six to eight members. Have each group choose a folded piece of paper on which you have written the subject of a skit they must create.  Give a set amount of time to prepare the skit and then have each team present their skit to the group. If you have a small group, have each person create one side of a conversation dealing with the problem for presentation to everyone.

Block Duplicating

Build a model out of building blocks. Provide each group member (or divide into teams for a large group ) enough blocks to duplicate the model. Set a specific amount of time for completing the duplicated model. The team that is the first to finish – or gets the furthest on completing their model – wins. The more difficult the original model, the longer this task will take.

Team Building Problem Solving Activities

When choosing team building problem solving activities, make sure the game you use suits the group of people – their ages and interests. The activities we have listed will help with not only problem solving, but also build decision making, collaboration, and listening skills.

Tower Building

Although there are many variations to this game, this one using spaghetti and marsh mellows is our favorite. Divide you group into teams with an equal number of players. Provide each team with an equal amount of spaghetti and marsh mellows. The goal is to see which team can build the highest tower within a set amount of time.

Personalized Crossword

For this game to be effective, you need one or more teams of 8 to 10 people. Have each team list the first and last names of their group members. The goal is to create a crossword puzzle with clues composed of hints about the person, for example, if only one team member has red hair, the two clues for her first and last name could be, “Red hair,” and “Ginger.” It should take each team 20 to 30 minutes to complete their puzzle. When all the teams are finished, trade puzzles so that every team has a different one. Make sure you provide a list of names for the puzzle solvers.

Picture Pieces Puzzle Game

Prepare for this problem solving activity by choosing a well-known picture or cartoon full of detail. Cut the picture into equal sized squares and give one to each member of the group. You will need as many pieces as you have participants. Additionally, give each person a pencil, ruler for help enlarging the picture, colored markers, and a clean sheet of paper. Instruct them to make the puzzle piece five times larger.

Problem Solving Activities for Adults

Divide your group into two teams. Line up the two teams front to back. Have the two groups face each other. Using chalk, spray paint, or masking tape (depending on the play surface) mark a square space for each person to stand on with one extra empty space between the two facing rows. You may also use a piece of paper for each person. The goal is for the two facing lines of players to change places.

Place these restrictions on movement:

• Only one person may move at a time.
• A person may not move around anyone facing the same direction.
• A person may not move backward.
• A person may not move around more than one person on the other team at a time.

Playing Card Mix-up

Divide your group into teams of six to eight participants. Give each team two decks of cards randomly mixed together. Tell the group they must sort them out without talking. As they working at the task, after a few minutes, change the way in which they are doing so using one of the following:

• If a team is sorting by suits from ace to king (4 stacks), tell them to collect the suits together by number (13 stacks).
• If a team begins by collecting the suits together, i.e. all the ones, twos, threes, etc., tell them to sort the suits from ace to king.

The team(s) that do so successfully by the end of a given time (depending on the size of your group) share what methods they used to accomplish the task.

Blindfolded games are always fun and provide the perfect challenge for adult problem solving. We have provided two for you.

Blind Formations

Have your group of adults put on blindfolds and form a large circle. Tie the ends of a rope together and lay in it a circle in the middle of the group, close enough that each person can reach down and pick up the rope. Tell them they must create a shape – a square, triangle, pentagon, etc. If you have a very large group, divide them into teams and provide a rope for each team. Let them compete to see who forms a particular shape quickest.

Line up Blind

Blindfold everyone and number the group by whispering a number to each individual beginning at one. Tell them to line up in numerical order without talking. Variations are many, with some of the favorites not requiring the whispering step being to line up according to height, birthday, surname, color of hair, etc.

Balloon Tower

Divide you group into teams of three and provide ten balloons and four 3-foot long strips of masking tape for each team. The object of this problem solving activity is to build the tallest freestanding tower in ten minutes. They can break the balloons if they wish. However, they may not use any additional materials and the tower must be built on a table or the floor. If you wish, you may add the following instructions:

• No talking.
• Each team member may use only one hand.
• One team member may not touch the materials and only give directions.

You can use one or more of these limitations in 60-second intervals. The first team to complete their tower wins this challenge.

Problem Solving Activities for Kids

The purpose of problem solving activities for kids is to get kids to think about a problem in a different way and have fun while solving it. Children will develop their creativity as they seek to implement a solution.

Walking the Plank

For this problem solving activity for older kids or teens, you will need four 2×6 boards. Divide your group into two teams with an equal number of children on each team. Place two of the four boards end to end on the ground or floor. Set the other two parallel to the first two about two or three feet apart. The goal is for each team to pass one board forward while standing on the other board in single file. If someone steps off a board, the team must start over. The team that succeeds in passing the boards a set number of times, or reaches a predetermined spot is the winner.

“Laser” Web

Use a large ball of string to create a giant web from one end of a room to the other. The goal is for individuals or teams to move through the web without touching the string. If they do so, they have been “zapped by a laser” and must try again. For greater suspense and for older players, use blindfolds or turn off the lights, allowing players to touch the string, but not pull it down or out of its original shape.

Group Drawing

Divide your group of kids into teams of three. Each person on the team has a one of the following roles:

• Drawer . The drawer attempts to recreate a pre-drawn design they cannot see. They take directions from the talker. They stand with their back to the talker and viewer and may not talk.
• Talker . The talker describes the design to the drawer, without seeing the design. They may question the viewer. They may not use hand gestures.
• Viewer . The viewer sees the design. However, they are not allowed to talk and must communicate nonverbally to the talker.  Additionally, they must not draw the design in the air or actually show the design with their gestures.

The activity ends when the viewers say they are satisfied with the drawings. You may wish to award a prize to the best drawing.

Prior to playing this game, write on individual slips of paper the names of animal pairs, one name on each slip. Distribute the slips of paper to each group, instructing them not to share which animal name they received. The kids then move around performing activities their animal might do. The goal is for the kids to get into pairs successfully in a set amount of time without talking or making any noises. Suggest the following activities:

• Cleaning or grooming
• Eating and drinking
• Walking or running

Alphabet Game

Have your players sit or stand in a circle. The goal is to shout out words in alphabetical order. Give the kids one of the following categories (or choose your own):

If a player takes longer than five seconds to think of a word, they are out. The last player remaining wins the game.

People achieve more when they solve problems and make decisions together. Our problem solving activities teach participants how to work out a solution, a talent useful in many different environments. Problem solving:

• Improves team work
• Helps participants address complex situations
• Utilizes different thinking styles
• Increases creativity
• Collectively leads to decision making
• Teaches both negotiation and cooperation

After completing a problem solving activity, encourage participants to discuss what process(es) they used in the exercise. Even kids are able to participate in such discussions. Also ask what was learned and if they have any opinions about how they could have solved the problem more efficiently.

Team-building exercises can improve problem solving and decision making in a new or established team. They work with every age group and in many different environments. Use our exercises to help solve problems and have some fun doing so.

Susan majored in English with a double minor in Humanities and Business at Arizona State University and earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Liberty University. She taught grades four through twelve in both public and private schools. Subjects included English, U.S. and world history and geography, math, earth and physical science, Bible, information technologies, and creative writing.

Susan has been freelance writing for over ten years, during which time she has written and edited books, newspaper articles, biographies, book reviews, guidelines, neighborhood descriptions for realtors, Power Point presentations, resumes, and numerous other projects.

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Thanks for your help!!

excellent ideas – thanks !

Excellent ideas.

Thank you. My students have requested we do team-building activities; I thought we would start with problem-solving.

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Tuesday, September 22, 2020

The abcs of problem solving steps {free printable included}.

Knowing how to solve a problem is just one of many social skills kids, teens, and adults need to learn. 

There are a few steps involved in problem solving so it's always good to have a visual cue that breaks down the different steps, especially for autistic and hyperlexic individuals who find visual supports particularly helpful.

And, since the alphabet is kind of our thing around here, I want to share the ABCs of problem solving with you. Well, actually it's more like the ABCDE of problem solving, but whatever, close enough. 

Regardless, this is an example of how you can take your hyperlexic child's interest (letters) and use it to teach new skills (problem solving). Something I discuss here .

5 Steps to Solving a Problem

Here's how to use the ABCs of problem solving:

Step 1: Ask

This step is all about asking yourself the following questions:

• Is there a problem?
• What is the problem?
• How big is the problem?

Step 2: Brainstorm

Step 3: choose, step 4: do it, step 5: evaluate.

Download the Free Printable Problem Solving Chart

This one page printable outlines the five problem solving steps from above. It includes a colorful letter for each step, a title, and a short description of what to do. I highly recommend laminating for durability.

To get a copy of this free printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download this free printable

Need one-on-one support? I can help!

Quick links, get connected, where i write.

Brain Teasers Worksheets

Carrot Conundrum

Mind Puzzles

Dot Connect

Square Hunt

Phrase Puzzles

Puzzle Phrases

Riddle Quest

Garden Puzzle

Puzzle Play

About these 15 worksheets.

This collection of worksheets is a versatile and engaging resource designed to challenge students’ critical thinking, logic, and problem-solving skills through a variety of puzzles and riddles. This collection features a range of activities that are both fun and educational, making them ideal for classroom use, homeschooling, or independent practice. Each worksheet is thoughtfully designed to capture students’ attention while encouraging them to think creatively and analytically. With worksheets available in easy-to-view, download, and print PDF formats, this collection offers convenience and flexibility for teachers, parents, and students alike.

One of the key features of this collection is the variety of brain teasers that cater to different learning styles and skill levels. For instance, the “Remove Carrots” puzzles challenge students to strategically remove certain elements to create specific shapes, honing their spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills. These visual puzzles require students to think ahead and plan their moves carefully, making them excellent exercises for developing logical thinking. Another example is the classic dot-connecting puzzle, where students must draw four straight lines to connect all dots without lifting their pencil. This task encourages out-of-the-box thinking and introduces students to the concept of efficiency in problem-solving.

The collection also includes traditional riddle-based worksheets that prompt students to solve verbal and mathematical puzzles. For example, students might encounter questions such as “What appears twice in morning, twice in evening, but only once at night?” or “What number can you multiply with any other number and always get the same answer?” These riddles are designed to engage students’ curiosity and encourage lateral thinking. By working through these puzzles, students practice critical reading and comprehension skills, as well as mathematical reasoning, all while having fun with wordplay and number games.

Another highlight of the collection is the inclusion of rebus puzzles, where students must decipher phrases or idioms based on visual clues. These worksheets are particularly effective at developing language skills, as students must use context and their understanding of language conventions to solve the puzzles. For instance, a puzzle might feature the word “blood” above “water,” prompting students to infer the phrase “blood is thicker than water.” Such activities not only strengthen students’ language abilities but also their capacity for abstract thinking.

In addition to these specific examples, this series features a wide range of other activities designed to stimulate students’ cognitive abilities. Worksheets might include mazes, where students must navigate through complex paths, or matching games that test memory and pattern recognition. Each activity is designed to be challenging yet accessible, ensuring that students of all levels can benefit from the exercises. The collection also includes tasks that require students to identify patterns, solve sequencing puzzles, and complete analogies, all of which are essential skills for academic success.

Teachers and homeschoolers will appreciate the ease of incorporating these worksheets into their lesson plans or daily routines. The activities are designed to be flexible, allowing educators to use them as warm-up exercises, supplemental practice, or even as part of a more comprehensive lesson on critical thinking and problem-solving. The diversity of the worksheets ensures that students remain engaged and motivated, as they are constantly exposed to new and varied challenges.

Parents can also use these worksheets at home to support their children’s learning in a fun and relaxed environment. The Brain Teasers Worksheet collection provides an excellent opportunity for families to work together on puzzles, fostering a collaborative and supportive learning atmosphere. By tackling these brain teasers, students not only build essential cognitive skills but also gain confidence in their ability to think critically and solve problems independently.

The collection’s emphasis on both creativity and logic ensures that students are developing a well-rounded set of skills. By regularly engaging with these puzzles, students will improve their ability to approach problems from different angles, think critically about the information presented to them, and develop strategies for arriving at solutions. These are skills that are not only valuable in the classroom but also in everyday life, as they equip students to handle challenges with confidence and resilience.

What Are Brain Teasers?

Brain teasers are puzzles or problems that require creative thinking, logic, and problem-solving skills to solve. Unlike straightforward questions that may have a clear and immediate answer, brain teasers often involve lateral thinking, where the solution is not always obvious and may require looking at the problem from a different perspective. These puzzles can take many forms, including riddles, visual puzzles, word games, and mathematical challenges. They are designed to stimulate the brain, encouraging individuals to think critically and analytically.

The primary purpose of brain teasers is to challenge the mind and improve cognitive abilities. By engaging with these puzzles, individuals are prompted to use their reasoning skills, enhance their memory, and develop their concentration. Brain teasers often require solvers to break away from conventional thinking patterns, which helps in developing flexibility in thought processes. This ability to approach problems from various angles is a valuable skill, not just in academics, but also in everyday decision-making and problem-solving situations.

Brain teasers are beneficial in enhancing both verbal and non-verbal skills. For instance, riddles and word puzzles improve language skills, vocabulary, and comprehension, while visual puzzles and spatial reasoning challenges enhance the ability to interpret and manipulate shapes and patterns. Mathematical brain teasers, on the other hand, reinforce arithmetic skills and logical reasoning. The diversity in the types of brain teasers available ensures that different areas of cognitive function are exercised, making them a well-rounded tool for mental development.

In addition to cognitive benefits, brain teasers also serve as a source of entertainment and motivation. The process of solving a challenging puzzle and arriving at the correct solution can be highly satisfying, providing a sense of accomplishment. This rewarding experience can boost an individual’s confidence and encourage a positive attitude toward learning and problem-solving. For students, brain teasers can make learning more engaging and enjoyable, fostering a love for challenges and intellectual curiosity.

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Turtle Patterns for Preschoolers

Introducing turtle patterns for preschoolers is a fun way to develop pattern-recognition skills. Turtle-themed activities make it easy and fun for kids to explore and engage with visual patterns.

These preschool pattern worksheets are a great way to build early patterning skills. The turtle patterns help kids spot sequences and boost their ability to predict what comes next—a key skill for early math learning.

Using free preschool printables is a great way to help kids start recognizing patterns. These resources make learning fun and easy, giving children the chance to practice and build their skills at their own pace.

How can teaching patterns benefit preschoolers?

Teaching patterns in preschool helps children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by recognizing and predicting sequences. It also lays the foundation for understanding more complex mathematical concepts, such as addition and multiplication.

Additionally, pattern recognition supports language development as children learn to identify and anticipate repetitive structures in language, enhancing their reading and writing abilities.

Don’t miss: Our Favorite Turtle Books for Kids

Turtle Printables for Preschoolers

Let’s dive into the wonderful world of turtles with these fun and educational printables for your little ones. Whether it’s coloring pages or counting activities, these resources are perfect for keeping young minds engaged while building important skills.

Check out the collection below, and you’ll find even more great tools to make learning about turtles both enjoyable and rewarding for your preschoolers.

• Sea Turtle Life Cycle Printable
• Ninja Turtle Printables
• Turtle Math Worksheet
• Printable Turtle Coloring Pages
• Label the Sea Turtle Worksheet

Turtle patterns offer a fun and familiar way to help kids build their pattern recognition skills. Through these engaging activities, children can practice this important skill while enjoying themselves. In this section, we’ll dive into a turtle pattern worksheet that’s perfect for early learners.

Completing the Activity

Start by looking at the first row together to understand the turtle pattern. Talk with your child about what comes next, then have them choose the right turtle from the options and place it in the correct spot to keep the pattern going.

As they work, encourage them to say the pattern out loud, and when they’re done, review it together to reinforce what they’ve learned.

Turtle Activities for Preschoolers

Turtle-themed activities are a fun and effective way to help kids learn about patterns. Whether they’re arranging turtle toys or playing with cutouts, these hands-on activities keep children engaged and excited about learning.

Turtle Crafts for Kids

Turtle crafts can be a creative extension of pattern lessons. Crafting with turtles allows children to express their creativity while reinforcing the concept of patterns through hands-on activities.

• Preschool Turtle Craft
• Paper-Weaving Sea Turtle Kids Craft
• Egg Carton Turtle Craft
• Crumpled Paper Turtle Craft

Turtle Books for Kids

Dive into the enchanting world of turtles with our selection of turtle books for kids. These stories and educational books are perfect for capturing young imaginations while teaching valuable lessons about nature, friendship, and the fascinating lives of these slow-moving creatures.

Whether you’re looking for bedtime stories or books to enhance your child’s learning, you’ll find the perfect turtle tale to spark their curiosity and love for reading.

Good Night Little Turtle is a charming bedtime story about a young turtle who struggles to fall asleep. As he embarks on a gentle nighttime adventure, he encounters various animal friends who share their soothing bedtime routines. The story’s calming narrative and warm illustrations make it perfect for helping children wind down before bed.

Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss tells the story of Yertle, the ambitious king of the turtles who commands his subjects to stack themselves into a tall tower so he can rise higher. However, his quest for power leads to his downfall when the stack collapses under its weight. The book delivers a timeless lesson on the dangers of greed and the abuse of power.

The Box Turtle by Vanessa Roeder is a heartwarming story about Terrance, a turtle born without a shell who creatively uses a cardboard box as his home. Despite feeling different, Terrance embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning that what makes him unique is also what makes him special. The story beautifully conveys themes of self-acceptance and the importance of embracing one’s individuality.

Turtle patterns help preschoolers develop pattern recognition skills essential for early math development.

You can use turtle-themed crafts to create and arrange patterns, allowing children to practice their creativity and pattern recognition skills.

Turtle pattern worksheets can be adapted to different skill levels, making them suitable for all preschoolers.

Turtle patterns for preschoolers are an engaging and effective way to develop pattern recognition skills. Children can enjoy learning by using turtle-themed activities, crafts, and worksheets while building a solid foundation in early math skills. Incorporating these activities into your preschool curriculum can make learning fun and educational.

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Tara is the brains behind Homeschool Preschool, where her journey from preschool and public school teacher to homeschooling mom of three fuels her passion for early childhood education. With a blend of expertise and firsthand experience, Tara’s writings offer practical tips and engaging resources to support families in creating meaningful learning adventures at home.

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8 Creative Icebreaker Games for Kids with Easy Printable Activities

1. paper ball fight, supplies needed:.

Paper List of Questions (Icebreaker Toolkit)

Prep Needed:

• Print out our Ball Fight Questions from our Icebreaker Toolkit and use them as is or as inspiration for your own questions.
• Write one question on each sheet of paper. You will need as many papers with questions as players in the game.
• Crumple each page into a ball.

How To Play:

• Split your group into 2 teams. Send the teams to opposite sides of the room.
• Separate the 2 teams with a line in the middle they can not cross over. At this line, you will put all the crumpled balls of paper you made.
• When you say go, the players will run up to the balls and throw the balls to the opposite side. Let this continue for 30-60 seconds. If you do not have space for this, you can give each child one ball and have them just have a fun “snowball” fight in the room for 30-60 seconds.
• When the time is up, have each kid pick up a ball near them, open it up, and one by one they will answer the question on the paper.
• The game can be repeated until the kids get tired of it.

2. M&M Icebreaker

M&M’s M&M Icebreaker Printable (free sample from our Icebreaker Toolkit)

• Hand out colored candy.
• Print out enough of our free printables to spread throughout the group
• Hand out the M&M’s to the kids and have them group their candy by color.
• Go around the room and have each person answer the questions on the printable according to the color and quantity of their candy. For example, if the player has 2 green candies they will give 2 answers to the green question, then if they have 3 yellow candies, they will give 3 answers to the yellow question. They will continue until all of their candies are gone. Once their turn is over they can eat their candy if they wish. Play continues to the next person in the group.

3. Sit or Stand

Sit and stand is a fun game that gets kids really involved and helps them learn about each other. It is pretty much a game of “This or That” but in an active form. Kids will sit or stand according to their choice in the options you offer.

Sit Or Stand Printable (Icebreaker Toolkit)

• Print out our list of topics and you are ready to go.
• Have all the kids start by standing up.
• You are welcome to use our Sit or Stand printable or any ideas that you can think of. The first one on our list is “invisible” or “can fly”. You will tell the kids to sit if they would like to be invisible or stand if they would like to be able to fly.
• Continue down your list until kids are tired of the game.

4. Dicebreaker

Dice (2) Dicebreaker Printable

• No prep is needed. Just print our Dicebreaker Printable and grab some dice.
• Have the first person roll the dice. The first die will point you to the category which on the printable you will see it as “If You Roll A 4” or “If You Roll A 1”. The second die points you to the number of the question. For example, if you roll a 4 and a 1 you will go to the section, “If You Roll A 4” and then answer question number 1.

5. Peak-A-Who

Before playing this game the kids should have already had a chance to get to know each other’s names. A good introduction game is our Find-A-Friend Bingo game or SPUD.

Flat Bed Sheet

• Split the group into 2 teams.
• Have them stand on either side of the room.
• Have 2 people hold up a sheet between the 2 groups so they can not see each other.
• Have 1 person from each side face the sheet while the rest turn away from the sheet.
• Drop the sheet and the first person to say the name of the opponent wins. The losing player joins the winning player’s team. If this method is too hard for the kids you can make it a team activity by having the entire team say the name.
• The team that has the most players at the end of a time limit you set wins.

6. Find A Friend Bingo

A super fun way to help kids talk to each other without being uncomfortable is by using our Find-A-Friend Bingo. Kids can walk around the room asking the other kids questions from their Bingo Card. Find a kid whose Name Starts With a “C” or Has An Older Brother and have them initial the card. This friendly game will bring lots of fun and laughter to the room and will instantly help everyone feel comfortable.

Bingo Cards (Icebreaker Tooklit) Pencils

• Print out Bingo Cards.
• Hand out a Bingo Card and pencil to each player.
• Set a timer for around 15 minutes and allow players to talk with each other and fill out the squares on their Bingo sheet. You can play until each person gets a bingo or until the entire card is filled out depending on your group size and how much time you have. If you have a large group, I recommend that a person can only initial 2 of the squares, this will encourage more conversations between the group.

7. SPUD (w/ a twist)

I am sure many of us grew up playing the game of SPUD but in this version, we are going to work on learning the names of the people in the group.

Playground Ball Large Space (gym or outside)

• This game is best played in a gym or outside.
• Pick a player to have the ball. This player will throw the ball up into the air as high as they can and then catch the ball. When they catch the ball they must yell “SPUD” (or any other word you choose). While the ball is in the air the rest of the group will run away. When they hear the word SPUD they must freeze immediately.
• The person with the ball gets to take 3 large steps toward anyone in the group and throw the ball attempting to hit them. If the player is hit, they are out of the game.
• The twist is while the player with the ball is taking the 3 steps the rest of the group will count off the steps and repeat the player’s name. For example, if the player’s name is Ryan they are going to yell, “1, Ryan – 2, Ryan – 3, Ryan -THROW” When the word THROW is yelled Ryan can throw the ball and try and hit their target. This twist to the game will allow everyone to start learning the players’ names in a fun and exciting way.

8. Four Corners

Four Corners is a game that can be done in any size space. You will pick 4 areas of the room and label them 1-4. The leader will then read out a question with 4 possible answers and the kids will go to the area that represents their answer. As the kids stand together they will quickly make friends with similar interests.

Four Corners Printable (Icebreaker Toolkit) Scissors Tape

• Print out the Four Corners Printable
• Cut out the numbers & tape them in 4 different corners or areas.
• Read out the question and have the kids go to the corner that represents their answer. Give them a few minutes to talk with each other about what they just discovered they have in common before asking the next question.

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Therapy Worksheets and Handouts for CBT, DBT, ACT, and More

Worksheets are excellent learning tools that can help gauge a child’s understanding of certain topics, put learnings into practice, and build logic. DBT, CBT, and ACT are prominent therapeutic approaches, all of which you can reinforce through worksheets. But with so many worksheet options, how do you know which is right for you?

This guide will provide a list of therapy worksheets that can help you manage intense emotions, improve thought patterns, and live a more fulfilling life aligned with your values. Discover the best worksheets for your child’s specific needs.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Worksheets and Handouts

CBT can help individuals who feel stuck in their negative thought patterns. Here are a few CBT worksheets, handouts, and posters to help identify and challenge negative thinking.

The Cognitive (CBT) Triangle

The CBT triangle illustrates the interconnectedness of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, emphasizing how these three elements influence one another. It typically places thoughts at the top and emotions and behaviors at the bottom corners.

Understanding the CBT triangle provides a framework for identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and developing strategies for managing them.

Download the handout here

Cognitive Distortions Handout

CBT centers around cognitive distortions , which are inaccurate thinking patterns that negatively bias how you see yourself and the world [ * ]. Our handout outlines common cognitive distortions, such as catastrophizing , magnification/minimization, emotional reasoning , and jumping to conclusions . It helps individuals increase their self-awareness and reflect on their behaviors.

Common Cognitive Distortions Handout

Part of overcoming cognitive distortions is learning to identify them. Use this handout of 15 common cognitive distortions to reflect on which ones you might be displaying.

Our handout lists thinking errors like emotional reasoning, magnification/minimization, blaming, and personalization.

Cognitive Restructuring Handout

Cognitive restructuring is a technique that helps you notice, challenge, and replace your negative thinking patterns with more realistic or helpful thoughts. There are several techniques that help you to effectively utilize cognitive restructuring, including “thought record,” “reattribution,” “cognitive rehearsal,” and “cost-benefit analysis.”

Decatastrophizing Handout

Decatastrophizing is a crucial technique for challenging and modifying distorted thinking patterns, specifically those that lead to excessive worry or anxiety. Our handout encourages clients to identify the catastrophic thought, examine the evidence, consider alternatives, and develop a coping plan to reduce stress and improve problem-solving.

Challenging Negative Thoughts Poster

Negative thought patterns act like distorted lenses, coloring our perception of reality and fueling negative emotions. Challenging these patterns allows us to see situations more realistically, reducing emotional distress and empowering us to respond with healthier behaviors.

Use our handout on challenging negative thoughts as a reminder to stay grounded and fight against cognitive distortions.

Download the poster here

Anxious Thoughts Breakdown Worksheet

Anxious thoughts often snowball, leading to fear and avoidance. Breaking them down allows you to examine their validity. By questioning their accuracy and considering alternative perspectives, you can calm your emotions and make more rational decisions.

Our anxious thoughts breakdown worksheet asks clients to replace anxious thoughts with truthful, calm ones, which is especially helpful in CBT for teens .

Download the worksheet here

Exploring My Emotions Worksheet

Children, especially younger ones, may have trouble identifying and reflecting on their emotions. Thankfully, our worksheet makes this process simpler and more palatable. It provides visuals for children to learn more about how a specific emotion looks and feels. It asks them to reflect on their thoughts when they feel a particular emotion and how they act upon it.

Changing Negative Thoughts Worksheet

Negative thoughts act like broken records, playing on repeat and fueling negativity. Changing them disrupts this cycle.

Use our worksheet to develop a more positive mindset and observe your thoughts without judgment.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Worksheets and Handouts

It’s common to feel overwhelmed by emotions, especially when undergoing something stressful. Dive into our DBT worksheets and handouts to learn skills for managing stress, regulating emotions, and building healthier relationships.

DBT Cheat Sheet Handout

It takes time to grasp DBT for kids and teens fully, but our DBT cheat sheet can provide essential and easy-to-reference material as you go on your healing journey. It outlines vital DBT strategies, such as self-soothing and emotion regulation, which clients can use to improve their coping mechanisms.

Wise Mind Worksheets

Developing a wise mind means finding a balance between emotional and reasonable—an essential component of DBT for teens and kids. With our wise mind worksheets, clients can practice making rational decisions by acknowledging their emotions without judgment.

This collection of worksheets asks clients to recount stressful experiences and how they dealt with them, encouraging them to find more productive ways of reacting and coping.

Download the worksheets here

DBT STOP Skill Handout

The DBT STOP skill encourages individuals to step back, evaluate the situation, and find a productive response. Our worksheet provides methods for staying in control and acting less impulsively, leading to better decision-making.

DBT TIPP Skills Worksheet

While developing long-term coping strategies in DBT is important, knowing short-term solutions like TIPP is just as essential. Our DBT TIPP skills worksheet outlines tips for regulating emotions and behavior, replacing dysfunctions that could harm them.

Subjective Units Of Distress Scale (SUDS) Handout

The Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) Scale is a simple tool that measures the intensity of your distress on a scale from 0 (completely calm) to 100 (unbearably upset). Our handout helps people struggling with strong emotions become more aware of their emotional state. By assigning a number to their distress, they gain a more objective perspective and can track their progress in managing difficult emotions.

Urge Surfing Worksheets

Urge surfing entails “riding out” the wave of emotions, encouraging individuals to approach stressors mindfully. Our urge surfing worksheets ask clients to reflect on their triggers and brainstorm mindfulness methods.

DBT House Worksheet

The DBT house model represents an individual’s inner world—their values, hopes, emotions, and coping mechanisms. Our DBT house worksheet asks clients to explore different aspects of their lives, increasing self-awareness by reflecting on what influences them.

DBT Coping Statements Handout

DBT coping statements are short, positive affirmations you can repeat to yourself during emotional distress. They challenge negative thinking patterns and promote acceptance. By focusing on these statements, you can calm your emotions and shift your perspective towards more effective ways of coping with challenging situations.

Walking The Middle Path Skills Handout

If you struggle with all-or-nothing or black-and-white thinking, walking the middle path can teach you balance. Our handout encourages individuals to reflect on how they can practice self-care while caring for others, disagreeing with someone while remaining friends, and conveying their opinions without disrespect.

Self-Soothe With 6 Senses Worksheets

Self-soothing with the six senses can train the body to reach a calm, peaceful place, thus establishing emotion regulation. Our worksheets suggest calming activities and motivate clients to reflect on triggers that affect each sense.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Worksheets and Handouts

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you accept complex thoughts and feelings without judgment while committing to acting toward living a valued and meaningful life. Below are some ACT worksheets and handouts to help you begin the process. Here are some acceptance and commitment therapy worksheets to study:

• How Does Emotion Affect Your Life?
• Values and Problems

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Worksheets and Handouts

Mindfulness in CBT involves cultivating present-moment awareness without judgment. By observing your thoughts and feelings with the help of these worksheets, you can gain a clearer perspective on their validity and influence on your behavior. Here are some mindfulness-based cognitive therapy worksheets and handouts to study:

• The Five Senses Worksheet
• Funeral Meditation
• Mindfulness: The Present Moment

Schema Therapy Worksheets and Handouts

Schema therapy focuses on identifying early childhood experiences that led to unhealthy thinking, feeling, and behavioral patterns. These schemas can be unhelpful in adulthood, and schema therapy worksheets and handouts aim to replace them with healthier coping mechanisms and more balanced ways of relating to yourself and the world. Here are some schema therapy worksheets and handouts to study:

• Schemas, Needs, and Modes Reference Sheet
• Coping Styles and Responses
• Adding Up Inferences

Narrative Therapy Worksheets and Handouts

Narrative therapy views problems as separate from the person experiencing them. It focuses on helping individuals rewrite their life stories, emphasizing their strengths and resilience in overcoming challenges. By crafting a new narrative with the help of our worksheets, you can improve your sense of agency and foster a more positive outlook on life. Here are some narrative therapy worksheets and handouts to study:

• Life Story Worksheet
• Useful Narrative Therapy Questions
• Narrative Therapy: What’s Your Story?

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Worksheets and Handouts

Problem-solving is a core skill because it empowers individuals to take control of challenging situations. By identifying the problem, brainstorming solutions, evaluating their effectiveness, and implementing the most promising option, our worksheets can help navigate difficulties practically and effectively. Here are some solution-focused brief therapy worksheets and handouts to study:

• Motivation and Ambivalence
• Top Five Strengths
• Problem-Solving

The Bottom Line

Psychotherapy offers a diverse toolbox for addressing mental health challenges. By understanding the core principles of DBT, CBT, ACT, and other approaches through our worksheets, you can embark on a journey of self-discovery and emotional well-being.

Explore our entire collection of worksheets to improve your coping mechanisms and discover new tips and tricks.

• Fortune, E. “Cognitive distortions as a component and treatment focus of pathological gambling: A review.” Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2012.

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