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