A FEW WAYS TO NURTURE PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS IN KIDS

Children are natural problem-solvers. They explore the world with a curiosity that generates thinking and understanding. It is important to allow your child to explore and make mistakes because according to some studies, experiential learning will help them find solutions that cultivate healthy behavioral habits.

Today we reveal how we formulated the best problem-solving strategies for children. Here are a few to get started at home:

LET THEM DO IT

The first step to helping your child problem-solve is to admit you have a problem. As teachers and parents, we’re all guilty of opening that water bottle, zipping up that tricky jacket and fastening that lunchbox the right way. We do it because we love to nurture, and it would probably save you some time. Stop because you are robbing your kid of meaningful and organic problem-solving opportunities. You must allow your child to take the lead and this is where you can also opt for leadership programs for kids so it reinforces desirable problem-solving characteristics.

ENCOURAGE RESEARCH

Children tend to ask a lot of questions and when your child unknowingly dives into this exercise, try to listen and play along. If your kid asks you the difference between a donkey and a mule instead of excusing yourself by saying that “will tell you later” or “ask your teacher” you will be surprised how your active participation in fueling their curiosity can help them with important problem-solving mindsets later in life.

Entrepreneurship for kids! Now you know that this is totally possible. No school teaches a child how challenging the world can be once they are out of college, one can never predict how a certain task will be thrown at you and if you have unbottled your child’s entrepreneurial problem-solving creative abilities early in life it is likely that your child will sail through challenges that could arise at any time.

What You Can Do As Parents While Homeschooling:

• Celebrate explorations: Positive feedback that is not overdone increases pleasure in learning and life skills.

• Avoid helping too much: Even young babies enjoy the workout they get from finally grabbing a toy that is just out of reach.

• Ask open-ended questions when day-to-day problems occur, ask your child questions like- "Your toy is stuck, what can we do?"

Want to improve your child’s problem solving skills? Enroll your child at NimbleQ – giving your child a head-start (www.nimbleq.org)