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Students today need more than just good marks. They need to know how to think for themselves. They need to come up with ideas, solve problems and work in teams. One of the best ways to help them learn these skills is through problem solving activities. These activities are fun, creative and very useful. They help students become better thinkers and doers.

Let’s look at seven easy and interesting problem solving activities that help students build creative thinking in a fun and simple way.

7 Fun Problem Solving Activities to Help Students Think More Creatively

1. The Marshmallow Challenge

In this activity, students get some raw spaghetti, tape, string and one marshmallow. Their job is to build the tallest tower they can but the marshmallow has to stay on top.

This sounds funny but it is a great learning game. Students must think, plan and try many ideas. Sometimes the tower falls and they have to start again. That’s okay. They learn that it’s fine to fail and try again. This is one of the most useful problem solving activities to teach teamwork and thinking under pressure.

2. What Would You Do If...?

This is a talking game. You give students a strange or funny question like:

“What would you do if you could fly for one day?”

or
“What would you do if your teacher turned into a cat?”

The students then talk about their answers. There is no right or wrong answer here. They just have to think and speak. This kind of game helps students grow their imagination. It also helps them explain their ideas clearly. That’s why it’s a very helpful problem solving activity for all ages.

3. The Mystery Box

In this game, the teacher puts an object in a box. Students cannot see it. They have to ask yes/no questions to guess what it is.

This game helps students learn how to ask good questions. It also helps them think carefully and make smart guesses. It is a simple game but it teaches strong thinking skills. It is one of the most fun and effective problem solving activities for classrooms.

4. Build a Paper Bridge

In this activity, students get only paper and try to build a bridge that can hold the weight of a book. They can fold, roll or stack the paper but they cannot use glue or scissors.

This game teaches students how to use what they have in smart ways. It shows them that even simple things can be strong when used correctly. This is one of the best problem solving activities for showing that there is more than one way to solve a problem.

5. Reverse Brainstorming

Usually, we ask students how to fix a problem. But in this game, we ask the opposite question.

For example:
“How can we make the classroom very dirty?”

Students give funny answers like throwing papers or not using the dustbin. Then, we talk about how to not do those things. This is how they find real answers.

This is a smart and funny way to teach problem solving. It makes students laugh and think at the same time. That’s why it’s one of the most creative problem solving activities you can try.

6. Story Cubes

Here you give students dice with pictures on them. They roll the dice, see the pictures and then make a story using all of them.

It sounds easy but it can be very exciting. Students get random pictures like a clock, a fish or a rocket. They have to think fast and make a story that makes sense. This helps their brains grow and become more flexible. That’s what makes this one of the best problem solving activities for storytelling and thinking on the spot.

7. Classroom Escape Game

This is like a mini escape room. You hide clues around the classroom. Students must find the clues and solve puzzles to “escape” from the room. You can make a story around it, like a treasure hunt or a missing book.

This game is very active and full of energy. Students need to talk to each other, share ideas and work as a team. It helps build trust and thinking speed. It’s one of those problem solving activities that students always remember and enjoy.

Why These Activities Are Important

Books are important but learning to think is even more important. With problem solving activities, students learn how to look at problems in new ways. They also learn to work with others and speak their ideas clearly.

When students try these activities, they feel happy, smart and proud. They stop being afraid of mistakes. They learn that every problem has many answers. This kind of learning is useful not only in school but also in life.

Conclusion

Every student is different. Some are good at math, some love drawing and others like asking questions. No matter what they enjoy, all students can become better thinkers with the right support.

That’s why schools today must use new ideas to teach old lessons. These seven problem solving activities are easy to do but very powerful. They help students build skills for the future, skills like thinking clearly, working together and being creative.

Sharda International School understands the value of these simple but smart learning methods. Being one of the top schools of Gurgaon, top schools of Gurgaon, we believe in giving every child the chance to learn in exciting and meaningful ways.