| Do you have a favorite thinking game? As a | | | | So, just what does all this mean for you? |
| child growing up, I used to love to play | | | | Should you give your child these mind |
| games that were puzzles, something to | | | | challenging games and rip away the games they |
| challenge me not physically but challenge my | | | | currently play? Unless you are out for them |
| mind. We used to do simple things like create | | | | to hate you, we don't recommend that. But, |
| objects out of clouds or find out what would | | | | allow them to have the ability to access |
| happen when too much water was added to the | | | | these games and you may find that they are |
| mud pie. Nevertheless, it seems that many | | | | often drawn to them. Children's minds are |
| children in our society today are rather | | | | like sponges, soaking up whatever is thrown |
| uninterested in those types of games. They | | | | at them. So, they don't find their own |
| now just do what the Game Boy tells them to. | | | | puzzles to play with anymore. That doesn't me |
| | | | they don't need those problem solving skills. |
| Recently, playing a Game Boy game, I found it | | | | |
| to be amazing that the game was so simplistic | | | | Have you ever been in an environment where a |
| in that it often told me what to do when I | | | | child just can not do anything for |
| was lost or maybe unsure of what to do next. | | | | themselves? They need mom or dad to tie their |
| Now, I am not a regular player nor do I know | | | | shoes. They need mom or dad to fix their |
| if this is common, but what happened to the | | | | problem with friends. They can not solve |
| fun of trying to figure the puzzle out? How | | | | their own problem. This is a large problem |
| do you get through the door or find the | | | | and one that parents need to take notice of. |
| missing item? You keep trying until you do, | | | | Can playing computer games that encourage |
| right? | | | | problem solving skills really help? They are |
| | | | not the whole answer but they can be part of |
| The good news is that you don't have to allow | | | | the solution. |
| your children's brains to go whoosh! You can | | | | |
| offer them computer games that are more mind | | | | What you can do is provide games like |
| challenging rather than time fillers. Games | | | | puzzles, word, math and even card games that |
| like Mah Jong encourage people (children | | | | children can play on the web or download them |
| included) to develop a plan for solving the | | | | to your computer. These will help to |
| problem at hand. This plan is one that will | | | | strengthen their skills in problem solving, |
| keep you focused on the goal ahead and keep | | | | in dealing with reactions, and in preparing |
| your brain trying to figure out the next | | | | for the unknown. Guess what? It's also a |
| move. There are hundreds of others that use | | | | really fun thing to do with your kids too! |
| all sorts of skill including solving | | | | Make it mean something even more by playing |
| problems. | | | | along with them! |
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