Children become good problem solvers when they are asked to solve a broad range of problems early on, at home and at school. Start with easy questions: let the level of difficulty increase as the child's ability grows. Ask children questions like:
- "I'm 38 years old, and you are 6. How old will I be when you are 10?"
- "If 3 pieces of candy cost 25 cents, how much do 6 pieces cost?...9 pieces?...15 pieces?....How many pieces can you buy for a 50 cents?...for a dollar...for $2.50?"
-"Which would you rather have: 1 piece of candy bar cut into 3 equal-size pieces, or 1 piece of the same candy bar cut into 6 equal-size pieces? Why?"
- How can 3 kids share 6 candy bars equally?"
- How can 3 kids share 2 candy bars equally?"
- A boy and a girl went to the movies. They spent half of the money they had for their tickets, and they spent half of what they have left on snacks. Finally, they had $5.00 left. How much money did they start with?"
Questions like these help a child's thought processes become animated. Try it. You'll see!
