At school we learn things like maths, English, science, geography and are educated on topics that enable us get jobs and to be functioning members of society. But school doesn't teach us everything, there are things that we learn by exploring our environment and surrounds.
We encounter problems on a daily basis both at work and at home, to resolve these issues and move forward is like second nature for us . As parents and teachers, it is our responsibility to teach the kids in our lives the skills for critical thinking and conflict resolution. This helps them to develop and maintain relationships, excel in activities both within and outside of school and how to exercise proper self regulation skills (like anger management).
For a child, being a good problem solver is an important life skill so that they are able to make good (and healthy) decisions for themselves. When children are able to solve problems on their own, they will be more confident, independent and happier adolescents and adults.
Problems help build character, resilience and perseverance, they give us the opportunities to see things in a different way. Kids who lack the skills to problem solve tend to avoid trying new things, they face problems everyday and at Adventure Camp we give kids initiatives games, problems to solve and new things to try.
We offer kids loads of activities such as; Stretcher Build, Toxic Crossing and Egg Rescue, Where we place a scenario in front of them and give kids the chance to attempt to solve the problem on their own. As a group they examine the problem, talk through it try to come up with a solution together. They then use these strategies when faced with a similar problem later on.
Letting kids approach problems on their own first, rather than us parents running to the rescue, gives them the the confidence in their abilities to tackle different issues and when they are at school, they can use these skills in new social situations as well as apply this to their academic learning.
A child with good problem solving skills will be able to use their initiative and be able to weigh up actions and consequences to guide their decisions throughout the school day, they also tend to be less daunted by new tasks.
Here are a few different strategies you can use at home to teach better problem solving;
Take a deep breath: The first step to teaching problem solving skills to anyone is to ensure that they are calm. When our emotions are on high, it tends to be a lot more challenging to see things rationally. Help your kids find a way to calm their mind, particularly when they are overwhelmed and their emotions are on high.
Talk about it: Once your child is calm, ask them to verbalize the dilemma they are having, putting thoughts into words can help us gain perspective and make it easier to search for solutions.
Brainstorm: this can be done in many ways, such as verbally, have them write it down or maybe draw it. The idea is to come up with as many solutions as possible, no matter how far fetched or silly they seem. Fun Idea: set a timer, get your child to come up with as many ideas as possible before the timer runs out.
Evaluate: work with your kids to evaluate each option that they come up with, help them to discover the possible pro's and cons of each, this can help them to identify which solution is best.
Practice: put the solution into practice to see if it works!
Assess: this step is important! once a child has tested out a solution to their problem, it's essential that you take the time to assess if the problem was successful or not . What went wrong? What went right? should they perhaps try another strategy?
At Adventure camp we give kids the opportunity to problem solve while having fun, they strategize as a group and trial many different ways to do things. We challenge them, encourage them to use their initiative, to think on their feet and allow them to be themselves.
If you are looking for an awesome school holiday camp for your kids, look no further.
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