What you need
- A bit of time to spare during everyday routines
What to do
- When you play with your baby, find a problem to solve. This could be simply how can I get the toy from the bottom of the box, or how could I reach the ball that has rolled into the bush?
- Use simple language to describe the problem, along with gestures. For example, say: “Oh no, the ball is in the bush. It’s right at the back, what can I do?” while pointing at the ball.
- Comment and think aloud as you decide how to solve the problem. “I’m going to look around and see what I can find. I need something long.”
- If your solution doesn’t work first time, this is great! Talk about this and narrate your ideas to try next, “Oh, I made a mistake. It’s still stuck. I need a stronger stick...”
Good to know
Your baby will watch and listen as you work out a solution, and this will help them to understand how you can think through a problem. By doing this in lots of different situations, over time your baby will start to see that this is how to problem solve.