How To Teach Your Child Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving skills can allow your child to develop independence and teach them how to overcome adversity by knowing how to think pragmatically and creatively. We have partnered with a private school in Kent to share tips on how to teach your child problem-solving skills.

Having a clear plan of what to do when faced with a problem can help them to solve problems for themselves without feeling overwhelmed. This can be broken down into 5 steps for effective problem-solving. 

Know What the Problem Is

To even consider how to solve a problem, you need to know exactly what you’re up against. This can be done by creating a problem statement. Start by getting your child to write down what’s wrong or what they find difficult. This will help them to detach themselves from their issues and look at them from the point of view of an outsider and identify what is actually wrong.

Brainstorm 5 Solutions

Using lateral thinking, your child should think of 5 ways to solve the problem. It doesn’t matter if these seem unrealistic, the point of this is to exercise their creative thinking. If your child gets stuck, offer to help them out by hinting at other possibilities.

Dissect the Solutions

Here your child should weigh up all pros and cons involved. These may be centred around limitations such as resources, time and money.

Make A Decision

Based on their analysis, one should be picked.

Put It to the Test

This is where your child will put their solution into practice and see whether or not it works. The point of this is to show your child that they have options to fall back on and can just as easily try them. Knowing this can help your child remain calm and solve their problems with ease.

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