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How to Teach Problem-Solving Skills


to Kids (Ages 3-14)
By Ashley Cullins 20 Sep

 THIS ARTICLE INCLUDES A FREE PRINTABLE

209916 Whether it’s a toy-related conflict, a tough math


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(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/5-ways-kids-develop-growth-mindset-in-
 mathematics) equation, or negative peer pressure, kids of ALL ages face
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problems and challenges on a daily basis.

As parents or teachers, we can’t always be there to solve every problem for our
 children. In fact, this isn’t our job. Our job is to TEACH our children how to solve
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problems by themselves. This way, they can become confident
(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/kids-high-self-esteem), independent, and
successful individuals.
Instead of giving up or getting frustrated when they encounter a challenge, kids 0
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with problem-solving skills manage their emotions, think creatively (//biglifejournal.com/cart)

(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/fostering-creativity-imagination-for-
children-development), and persist (https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/how-
to-raise-resilient-kids-who-never-give-up) until they find a solution. Naturally,
these abilities go hand-in-hand with a growth mindset.
(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/journals/products/big-life-journal)

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So HOW do you teach problem-solving skills to kids?


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Well, it depends on their age. As cognitive abilities

0 (https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/teach-kids-growth-mindset-
neuroplasticity-activities)and the size of the child’s challenges grow/evolve over
 time, so should your approach to teaching problem-solving skills.

 Read on to learn key strategies of teaching problem-solving to kids, as well as


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some age-by-age ideas and activities.

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3 General Strategies to Teach
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Solving at Any Age

1. Model Effective Problem-Solving 


When YOU encounter a challenge, do a “think-aloud” for the benefit of your
child. MODEL how to apply the same problem-solving skills you’ve been working
on together, giving the real-world examples that she can implement in her own
life.

At the same time, show your child a willingness to make mistakes


(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/books-activities-kids-learn-mistakes).
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SHARES Everyone encounters problems, and that’s okay. Sometimes the first solution you
 try won’t work, and that’s okay too!
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When you model problem-solving, explain that there are some things which are

out of our control. As we're solving a problem at hand we should focus on the
 things we CAN actually control.
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You can show the Circle of Control printable included in the Growth Mindset
Printables Kit
(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/growth-mindset-
printables-kits-1-2).

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2. Ask for Advice


Ask your kids for advice when you have a problem. This teaches them that it’s
common to make mistakes and face challenges. It also gives them the
opportunity to practice problem-solving skills.

209916 Plus, when you indicate that their ideas are valued, they’ll gain the confidence
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 (https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/child-confidence) to attempt solving


0 problems on their own.

 3. Don’t Provide “The Answer”


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As difficult as it may be, allow your child to struggle, sometimes fail


(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/help-your-child-overcome-fear-of-failure),
and ultimately LEARN from experiencing consequences.

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Now, let’s take a look at some age-specific strategies and activities. The ages
listed below are general guidelines, feel free to choose any strategies or
activities that you feel will work for YOUR child.

3-5 Years
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Use Emotion Coaching

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To step into a problem-solving mindset, young children need to first learn
 to manage their emotions (https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/tapping-
confident-kids-eft). After all, it’s difficult for a small child to logically consider
 solutions to a problem if he’s mid-tantrum.
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One way to accomplish this is by using the emotion coaching process outlined


by John Gottman.

First, teach your kids that ALL emotions are acceptable. There are NO “bad”
emotions. Even seemingly negative emotions like anger, sadness, and frustration
can teach us valuable lessons. What matters is how we respond to these
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Second, follow this process:

Step One: Naming and validating emotions. When your child is upset, help


her process the way she’s feeling. Say something like, “I understand that
you’re upset because Jessica is playing with the toy you wanted.”

Step Two: Processing emotions. Guide your child to her calming space. If


she doesn't have one, it's a good idea to create one. Let her calm her body
and process her emotions so she can problem-solve, learn, and grow. 

Step Three: Problem Solving. Brainstorm solutions with your child, doing


209916 more LISTENING than talking during the conversation. This allows your child
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 to practice her problem-solving skills, and she’s more likely to actually


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implement the solutions she came up with herself.

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Say, “Show Me the Hard Part”


When your child struggles or feels frustrated, try a technique suggested by mom
and parenting blogger Lauren Tamm. Simply say, “Show me the hard part.”

This helps your child identify the ROOT of the problem, making it less
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 Repeat back what your child says, “So you’re saying…”


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 Once you both understand the real problem, prompt your child to come up with
solutions. “There must be some way you can fix that…” or “There must be
 something you can do…”
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Now that your child has identified “the hard part,” she’ll likely be able to come
up with a solution. If not, help her brainstorm some ideas. You may try asking
the question, “If you DID know, what would you think?” and see what she comes
up with.
Your child can practice finding solutions to obstacles they're facing with My 0
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Mighty Treasure Coins printable found in the Self-Esteem & Confidence Kit. 
(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/self-esteem-
printables-kit)

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Problem-Solve with Creative Play

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Allow your child to choose activities
 (https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/growth-mindset-
activity-kit-pdf) and games based on her interests. Free play provides plenty of
 opportunities to navigate and creatively solve problems.
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Children often learn best through PLAY


(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/smart-kids-learning-activities-through-
movement). Playing with items like blocks, simple puzzles, and dress-up clothes
can teach your child the process of problem-solving.
Even while playing, your child thinks critically: Where does this puzzle piece fit? 0
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What does this do? I want to dress up as a queen. What should I wear? Where
did I put my tiara? Is it under the couch?

Encourage creative play, creative thinking, and problem-solving with our


fabulous Growth Mindset Activity Kit
(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/growth-mindset-
activity-kit-pdf) for children!

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Problem-Solve with Storybooks

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Read age-appropriate stories featuring characters who experience problems,
such as:

Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy (https://www.amazon.com/Ladybug-Girl-


Bumblebee-Jacky-Davis/dp/0803733399/ref=sr_1_1?
ie=UTF8&qid=1520900249&sr=8-
1&keywords=ladybug+girl+and+bumblebee+boy) by Jacky Davis: The story of 0
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two friends who want to play together but can’t find a game to agree on.
After taking turns making suggestions, they arrive at a game they both want
to play: Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy.

The Curious George Series (https://www.amazon.com/Curious-George-


Stories-Share-Rey/dp/0547595298/ref=sr_1_11?
s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520900767&sr=1-11&keywords=curious+george) by
Margaret and H.E. Rey: A curious little monkey gets into and out of
dilemmas, teaching kids to find solutions to problems of their own.

Ira Sleeps Over (https://www.amazon.com/Ira-Sleeps-Over-Bernard-


Waber/dp/0395205034/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520900916&sr=1-
209916 1&keywords=ira+sleeps+over) by Bernard Waber: Ira’s thrilled to have a
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 sleepover at his friend Reggie’s house. But there’s one problem: Should he
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or should he not bring his teddy bear? It may seem small, but this is the
 type of early social problem your child might relate to.

 Connect these experiences to similar events in your child’s own life, and ASK
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your child HOW the characters in these stories could solve their problems.
Encourage a variety of solutions, and discuss the possible outcomes of each.

This is a form of dialogue reading, or actively ENGAGING your child in the reading
experience. Interacting with the text instead of passively listening can
“turbocharge” the development of literacy skills such as comprehension in
preschool-aged children. 0
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By asking questions about the characters’ challenges, you can also give your
child’s problem-solving abilities a boost.

You can even have your child roleplay the problem and potential solutions to
reinforce the lesson.

For book suggestions, refer to the printable Top 85 Growth Mindset Books for
Children & Adults in our Growth Mindset Printables Kit
(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/growth-mindset-
printables-kits-1-2).

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5-7 Years

Teach the Problem-Solving Steps


Come up with a simple problem-solving process for your child, one that you can 0
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consistently implement. For example, you might try the following five steps:

Step 1: What am I feeling? Help your child understand what she’s feeling in


the moment (frustration, anger, curiosity, disappointment, excitement,
etc.) Noticing and naming emotions will diffuse their charge and give your
child a chance to take a step back.

Step 2: What’s the problem? Guide your child to identify the specific


problem. In most cases, help her take responsibility for what happened
rather than pointing fingers (https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/powerful-
ways-respond-child-complains). For instance, instead of, “Joey got me in

209916 trouble at recess,” your child might say, “I got in trouble at recess for
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arguing with Joey.”

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Step 3: What are the solutions? Encourage your child to come up with as
 many solutions as possible. At this point, they don’t even need to be “good”

 solutions. They’re just brainstorming here, not yet evaluating the ideas
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they’ve generated.

Step 4: What would happen if…? What would happen if your child
attempted each of these solutions? Is the solution safe and fair? How will it
make others feel? You can also try role playing at this step. It’s important
for your child to consider BOTH positive and negative consequences of her 0
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Step 5: Which one will I try? Ask your child to pick one or more solutions to
try. If the solution didn't work, discuss WHY and move on to another one.
Encourage your child to keep trying until the problem is solved. 

Consistently practice these steps so that they become second nature, and
model solving problems of your own the same way. It's a good idea
to reflect: What worked? What didn’t? What can you do differently next time?

Help your child visualize and practice this process using the colorful My
Problem-Solving printable in the Self-Esteem & Confidence Kit
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printables-kit).

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Problem-Solve with Craft Materials


Crafting is another form of play that can teach kids to solve problems creatively
(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/growth-mindset-
activity-kit-pdf).

Provide your child with markers, modeling clay, cardboard boxes, tape, paper,
etc. They’ll come up with all sorts of interesting creations and inventive games
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0 These “open-ended toys” don’t have a “right way to play,” allowing your child to
get creative and generate ideas independently.


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Ask Open-Ended Questions
Asking open-ended questions improves a child’s ability to think critically and
creatively, ultimately making them better problem-solvers. Examples of open-
ended questions include:
How could we work together to solve this? 0
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How did you work it out? or How do you know that?

Tell me about what you built, made, or created.


What do you think will happen next?

What do you think would happen if…?


What did you learn?
What was easy? What was hard?

What would you do differently next time?

Open-ended questions have no right answer and can’t be answered with a


simple “Yes” or “No.”
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You can ask open-ended questions even when your child isn’t currently solving a
 problem to help her practice her thinking skills, which will come in handy when
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she does have a problem to solve.

For more question ideas, use "10 Growth Mindset Questions To Ask Your Kids at
 the Dinner Table” in our Growth Mindset Printables Kit
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(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/growth-mindset-
printables-kit).

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7-9 Years

Break Down Problems into Chunks


This strategy is a more advanced version of “Show me the hard part.”

The bigger your child gets, the bigger her problems get too. When your child is
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 to break it into smaller, more manageable chunks.
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For instance, let’s say your child has a poor grade in history class. Why is the
 grade so low? What are the causes of this problem?

 As usual, LISTEN as your child brainstorms, asking open-ended questions to


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help if she gets stuck.

If the low grade is the result of missing assignments, perhaps your child can
make a list of these assignments and tackle one at a time. Or if tests are the
issue, what’s causing your child to struggle on exams?
Perhaps she’s distracted by friends in the class, has trouble asking for help, and 0
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doesn’t spend enough time studying at home. Once you’ve identified these(//biglifejournal.com/cart)

“chunks,” help your child tackle them one at a time until the problem is solved.

Make sure to use our printable cards "Problem-Solving Steps for Kids"


(available in the Growth Mindset Activity Kit
(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/growth-mindset-
activity-kit-pdf)).  This is a fun and interactive way your child can learn the
steps to problem-solving and have confidence in the process.

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Show “The Broken Escalator Video 0
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v=47rQkTPWW2I)”
Discuss the importance of embracing challenges
(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/activities-grit-resilience-children) and
solving problems independently with the “broken escalator video.”

In the video, an escalator unexpectedly breaks. The people on the escalator are
“stuck” and yelling for help. At this age, it’s likely that your child will find the
video funny and immediately offer a solution: “Just walk! Get off the escalator!”

Tell your child that this is a simple example of how people sometimes act in
difficult situations. Ask, “Why do you think they didn’t get off the escalator?”
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(they didn’t know how, they were waiting for help, etc.)

0 Sometimes, your child might feel “stuck” when facing problems. They may stop
and ask for help before even attempting to find a solution. Encourage your child

to embrace challenges and work through problems instead.

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9-11 Years

Problem-Solve with Prompts


Provide your child or a group of children with materials such as straws, cotton 0
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balls, yarn, clothespins, tape, paper clips, sticky notes, Popsicle sticks, etc.

With just these materials, challenge your kids to solve unusual problems like:

Make a leprechaun trap


Create a jump ramp for cars

Design your own game with rules


Make a device for two people to communicate with one another

This is a fun way to practice critical thinking and creative problem-solving


(https://biglifejournal.com/collections/printables/products/growth-mindset-
activity-kit-pdf). Most likely, it will take multiple attempts to find a solution that
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Make Them Work for It

 When your child asks for a new toy, technology, or clothes, have her make a plan
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to obtain the desired item herself. Not only will your child have to brainstorm
and evaluate solutions, but she’ll also gain confidence
(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/kids-high-self-esteem).

Ask your child HOW she can earn the money for the item that she wants, and
encourage her as she works toward her goal
(https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/5-fun-goal-setting-activities-children).
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For example, use this graphic organizer
(https://static01.nyt.com/images/blogs/learning/pdf/2010/20101025problemsolvec
hart.pdf) developed by The New York Times Learning Network. Your child can
identify her problem and brainstorm solutions.

But now, she takes this process a step further: After attempting each solution,
which succeeded? Which were unsuccessful? Why?

This helps your child reflect on various outcomes, learning what works and what
doesn’t. The lessons she learns here will be useful when she encounters similar
problems in the future.

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0
Ages 12+


Play Chess Together
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Learning to play chess (http://drgsbrainworks.com/2015/01/10-ways-chess-


builds-your-brain/) is a great way for kids to learn problem-solving AND build
their brains at the same time. It requires players to use critical thinking,
creativity, analysis of the board, recognize pattern and more. There are online
versions of the game, books on how to play, videos and other resources. Don’t
know how to play? Learn with your teen to connect and problem solve together!
Have Them Learn To Code 0
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Our teens and tweens are already tech-savvy and can use their skills to solve
problems by learning to code (https://techiehomeschoolmom.com/kids-learn-to-
code/). Coding promotes creativity, logic, planning, and persistence. There are
many great tools and online or in-person programs that can boost your child’s
coding skills.

Encourage to Start a Meaningful Project


This project has to be meaningful to your teen, for example starting a YouTube
channel. Your teen will practice problem-solving skills as they’re figuring out
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more. 

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In the Big Life Journal - Teen Edition
 (https://biglifejournal.com/collections/journals/products/big-life-journal-teen-
edition), there’s a section that guides them through planning their YouTube
 channel and beginning the problem-solving process.
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Apply the SODAS Method


Looking for a game plan that your teen can employ when faced with a problem?
The SODAS (https://www.google.com/url?
q=https://www.boystown.org/parenting/article/Pages/sodas-a-sweet-way-to-
make-
decisions.aspx&sa=D&ust=1537397231251000&usg=AFQjCNHNIsDW1f54D6bvlmRv4
vzHqx91oQ) method can be used for big or small problems. Just remember this
simple acronym and follow these ideas:

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 Options
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Disadvantages
 Advantages
 Solution
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Encourage to Join Problem-Solving Groups


Does your teen enjoy solving problems in a team? Have them join a group or 0
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club that helps them hone their skills in a variety of settings--from science and
robotics to debating and international affairs. Some examples of groups include: 

Odyssey of the Mind


Model U.N.

Debate team
Science Olympiad

   

209916  PREVIOUS POST (/BLOGS/BLOG/TEACHING-TEENS-GROWTH-MINDSET) NEXT POST 


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0
25 THOUGHTS ON “HOW TO TEACH PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS TO
 KIDS (AGES 3-14)”

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Shreiya Aggarwal-Gupta says: March 17, 2021 at 19:51pm (/blogs/blog/how-teach-problem-
solving-strategies-kids-guide#74668703805)

I love, love, love the point about emotional coaching. It’s so important to identify how children
are feeling about a problem and then approach the solutions accordingly.
Thank you for putting this together. I wrote an article on problem-solving specifically from the 0
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point of view of developing a STEM aptitude in kids, if you like to check it out – (//biglifejournal.com/cart)

https://kidpillar.com/how-to-teach-problem-solving-to-your-kids-5-8-years/

Bulbul Chowdhary says: April 7, 2020 at 21:33pm (/blogs/blog/how-teach-problem-solving-


strategies-kids-guide#68988305469)

I feel that these techniques will work for my kid.. Worthy.. Thank you

Estefany says: January 23, 2020 at 16:06pm (/blogs/blog/how-teach-problem-solving-strategies-


209916 kids-guide#56838225981)
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I love you guys



0

 Estefany says: December 11, 2019 at 19:50pm (/blogs/blog/how-teach-problem-solving-strategies-


209916 kids-guide#56838160445)

I love you guys


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Estefany says: January 2, 2020 at 18:52pm (/blogs/blog/how-teach-problem-solving-strategies-
kids-guide#56838193213)

I love you guys

12 (/blogs/blog/how-teach-problem-solving-strategies-kids-guide?page=2)3 (/blogs/blog/how-teach-problem-
solving-strategies-kids-guide?page=3)…5 (/blogs/blog/how-teach-problem-solving-strategies-kids-guide?
page=5)
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