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Starting school is one of the most exciting milestones in a child’s life. But beyond knowing their ABCs or how to hold a pencil, there are two essential skills that truly set children up for success in the classroom: problem-solving and turn-taking. These foundational abilities not only support cognitive growth but also help children make friends, work in groups, and navigate the everyday challenges of school life with confidence.
The best part? They’re most easily learned through play – the natural language of childhood. Here are some of the best games to try at home before the big school day arrives 👇
🧩 1. Classic Puzzles – Building Perseverance and Problem-Solving
Puzzles are a fantastic way to develop logical thinking, patience, and spatial awareness. Start with simple two-piece puzzles and gradually increase complexity as your child’s skills grow. Talk through the process together (“Where could this corner piece go?”) to model problem-solving language.
Tip: Celebrate effort, not just success. Phrases like “I love how you kept trying” teach resilience – a skill they’ll need throughout their school years.
🎲 2. Board Games – Learning to Wait, Share and Take Turns
Games like Snakes and Ladders, Candy Land, or Memory Match are classics for a reason. They teach children how to follow rules, wait for their turn, and manage the emotions that come with winning and losing. These social-emotional skills are just as important as academic readiness when it comes to thriving in a classroom setting.
Bonus: Playing as a family also builds communication and strengthens bonds – turning game time into connection time.
🪄 3. “What’s the Solution?” – Problem-Solving Through Storytelling
Create simple problem-solving scenarios with toys, puppets, or everyday objects. For example:
- “Oh no! Teddy can’t reach his toy on the shelf. What could we do?”
- “The blocks keep falling over. How could we make the tower stronger?”
Encourage your child to brainstorm multiple solutions and try them out. This type of open-ended play nurtures creativity, flexible thinking, and perseverance – skills that directly translate to problem-solving in the classroom.
🪁 4. Scavenger Hunts – Critical Thinking in Action
Turn your home or garden into a mini adventure. Give your child clues or riddles to solve (“Find something round that rolls!”) and watch them engage their observation, reasoning, and decision-making skills. You can even incorporate early literacy and numeracy by asking them to find objects that start with certain letters or come in pairs.
📖 5. Interactive Play with Wondertivity Busy Books – Turn-Taking Meets Creativity
Wondertivity Busy Books aren’t just beautiful, screen-free learning tools – they can also be the centerpiece of many interactive games that build key pre-school skills.
Here are a few simple ways to use your book in playtime:
- “Your Turn, My Turn”: Take turns opening flaps, zipping zippers, or completing mini-tasks on each page. This teaches patience, sharing, and cooperation.
- Problem-Solving Missions: Turn each page into a little “challenge.” For example, “Can you help the frog find its way home?” or “How can we match these shapes correctly?”
- Story-Building Together: Use the pages as prompts for storytelling, taking turns to add new parts to the tale. This encourages language skills, creativity, and social interaction.
By weaving a Wondertivity book into your games, you create moments of shared play that nurture both cognitive and social-emotional skills – all while keeping your child deeply engaged.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Preparing your child for school isn’t about flashcards or worksheets – it’s about giving them the tools to think, connect, and collaborate. Games that encourage problem-solving and turn-taking do exactly that, building confidence and resilience that will last long after the first day of school.
With just a few minutes of playful interaction each day – and a Wondertivity Busy Book by your side – you’re not just passing the time. You’re laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning and joyful discovery.
