The last time you drove your know-it-all babysitter home, you were not so subtly informed that your child is lacking in problem solving skills. As if he shouldn't have had that tantrum when she ate the last piece of his birthday cake! You have to admit, though, that the meltdowns have been a little too frequent lately. Whenever your little one encounters a challenge, she doesn't have a clue how to deal with it. It's a rare case of agreeing with your babysitter: your child needs help learning ... Read More >>>

While we love our babies, and would do anything for them, I think we all understand the importance of encouraging independence to help our kids thrive later in life when bigger problems arise. I believe that most children adapt and flourish quickly when given the right encouragement and tools to solve problems on their own, and what better way to facilitate this process than with games? And that's why I’ve put together a list of fun preschool problem solving games that I’ve personally used ... Read More >>>

One fine day, I was making my 5 year old memorize his dad’s number - you know, just in case of an emergency! After spending roughly half an hour on the exercise, I decided to test what his little mind had grasped. “Ok honey, if mommy suddenly falls sick and can’t get out of bed, what are you going to do?” He didn’t even bat an eyelid before replying, “I’ll eat all the choco-chip cookies I can find in the kitchen.” To his credit, he did come up with a creative answer to the question… ... Read More >>>

Ohhh, problem solving skills. It’s one of those, you know, really, super, important things that all kids are supposed to be learning, or else, they are doomed for life. I mean, at thirty-one years old I still haven’t figured out how to keep things from spilling everywhere or how to make sure evil Legos aren’t out and about just waiting to deal those excruciating blows to my feet. I know you’ve been there - i.e. stepped on a car and almost broke your back - and thought about throwing all ... Read More >>>

Yesterday, I asked a group of five-year-olds to write a number expressed in three different ways. Excited to show off their pictures and number sentences - the way I would show off designer shoes for 70% off - they got right to it. Soon the classroom was filled with that happy sound of children working and thinking hard. But, I also heard another sound. Crying. One of my kiddos scribbled over her work, and in frustration, punched holes through the paper with her pencil. When I ... Read More >>>

Today I reveal how I discovered the best preschool problem solving strategies for my child. Once upon a time when I had time for myself, I decided to spend time catching up with the world. After wasting two hours reading celebrity nonsense and drooling over recipes I would never make, I decided to be productive instead. At this point, I began looking for which preschool-type would put my little one on the path to becoming a certified whiz (those strategies are coming — wait!). That’s ... Read More >>>

I don’t know about you, but the quest for those coveted preschool problem solving skills has had me scratching my head on more occasion than one. My little babe just learned to write (read: scribble) his name and I’m supposed to equip him with these magical abilities to assure that one day he is a contributor in solving the world’s ills? That’s heavy. When I began reading up on problem solving activities, I ran into many a doomsday prophecy that insisted our kids are basically a bunch of ... Read More >>>

When I became a mum, I felt like I got an automatic upgrade of super powers which are exclusive to anyone with a baby. You get super sensitive hearing, patience power ups, smell immunity and top notch problem solving skills. You basically get the super mum package deal which comes free with your temperamental little bundle of joy. I particularly like the problem solving skill set that you acquire and that comes in very handy at times when problems pop up unexpectedly. For example ... Read More >>>

As a toddler, my daughter once got stuck in an opened cardboard box. She climbed in all by herself, but once inside she couldn’t figure how to maneuver her way out. Like any good mom, I helped by handing her a crayon and allowing her to spend the next 15 minutes inside the box scribbling her little heart out so I could power clean the living room until she remembered she was stuck. It’s true, I may have been taking slight advantage of her not-yet-fully-developed problem solving skills, but ... Read More >>>