The School-age 3 children have been demonstrating their growing independence and ability to use logic, creativity, and collaboration to solve problems.
During outdoor play, Jaxson and Finn demonstrated effective problem-solving skills when their ball landed on the awning roof above the door. After recognizing that climbing was not an option, they looked for materials that could help. They chose a jump rope and a hula hoop, tying the two together to make a retrieval tool. Working as a team, they used their new tool to pull the ball down. It took a few tosses to get the hoop to land around the ball then they could pull the ball down. Their approach showed planning, cooperation, and the ability to test and adjust strategies. Their communication skills were critical because the friend throwing the hoop couldn’t see the ball. The friend holding the end of the rope (so the whole contraption didn't end up on the roof) stood back and instructed where to throw and how far back the ball was.
The boys asked if they could throw the ball back up to retrieve again so Christine offered a flat basketball to throw onto the roof to prevent the loss of a “good” ball. The children repeated the process of tossing the ball up and retrieving it with their rope-and-hoop tool. They practiced coordinating their movements, communicated about where the ball was and where to throw it.
This activity highlighted the children’s developing problem-solving abilities, persistence, and collaborative skills. They used available materials appropriately, worked together toward a shared goal, and showed confidence as they refined their technique. The boys appeared to be so proud of their work and so did the other children that began to gather for spectating. All the children cheered and clapped in congratulations when the ball was retrieved showing a sense of community within our School-Age 3 group.
Going forward Rona and Christine have been encouraging problem solving by supporting conversations during conflicts. We are always willing to help, however, the children are learning the importance of attempting on their own. We have seen the children communicate ideas together in problem solving even just when completing puzzles together. The children are becoming more open to hearing ideas from peers and working together. Christine and Rona have been supporting this by asking open ended questions such as: “What do you think would work?” or “Do you have any ideas on how to tackle this?”. These questions support the children's independence. We encourage you parents to try challenging your children. Working through problems with your children by using open ended questions at home to help them piece together a solution rather than provide concrete ideas will support these critical thinking skills.
