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