Problem Solving for Preschoolers

Problem-solving skills are essential for preschoolers as they help children develop critical thinking, creativity, and independence. Here are some effective strategies and activities to encourage problem-solving skills in preschoolers:

A four-year-old boy named Ronan is feeling excited. His teacher just introduced a new center to him and his classmates: light table.

The teacher explained that at the light table, there will be special transparent blocks that light can shine through; however, only three students can play with the light table at a time!

When he heard this, Ronan’s heart began to beat faster, his mouth opened wide with excitement, and his body began to wiggle with anticipation. He felt like a volcano, ready to explode. He knew he needed to be in this center! After circle time, the students transition to the table to discuss where they would like to play and what they would like to do in each center. Ronan ran right to the table to grab his seat. He was ready. Ronan was waiting patiently for his turn. With each passing name being called, Ronan grew more and more anxious with thoughts like, Will I be able to go to the light table today? Why isn’t the teacher calling my name? I’m sitting in my seat nicely.

With all of these thoughts running through his mind, it became difficult to focus. Finally, he hears, “Ronan, what center would you like to go to?” This is it! He tells the teacher that he would like to go to the light table to build a tall tower, only to find out that the allotted three spots were already taken by the students chosen before him. His body sank into the chair, and he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. He was feeling devastated. “I feel devastated,” he stated aloud. He took one deep breath and remembered his structured SELf-questioning that he has been practicing with his teacher when a social problem arises.

His internal dialogue began: What can I do? He started to rack his brain on the different ways he could solve this problem. I can take a break until my body is calm. I can pick another center and wait my turn. I can ask the teacher for a hug to help me feel better. Many options ran through Ronan’s mind. What’s the best way to solve this problem? I think waiting my turn would be the best choice. First, I will pick blocks, he thought, and then I will switch to the light table.

This sequence felt like an eternity to Ronan, but in reality, only a few seconds had passed.

Ronan sat up in his seat with a calm body and told the teacher that he would go to blocks first, then switch to the light table when it opened up again. Ronan transitioned to blocks, and after ten minutes, he noticed that a student who chose the light table station was now switching to another center. Again, Ronan’s mouth opened wide with excitement, and his body began to wiggle with anticipation. He made his way to the light table.

As he transitioned, he asked himself, Did it work? I waited my turn, and now I get to go to the light table. Yes, yes it did!

Ronan went through each step of the problem-solving process. He began by identifying his feelings, the reason for those feelings, and what he could do about the situation. These are the Identify Feelings, Gather Information, and Brainstorm steps for emotional problem solving. Consequently, the final three steps Ronan works through—Evaluate, Plan and Act, and Reflect—make this social problem solving as well.

In order for him to be conscious of how others feel, he must first be able to identify these feelings. Hence, social and emotional problem solving do have some overlap, first, by identifying the feeling within oneself, and then by identifying that feeling within others. After Ronan follows the emotional problem-solving steps, he seamlessly solves social problems by completing the final steps.

How to Teach a Metacognitive Strategy for Social and Emotional Problem Solving

In this section, we extend our knowledge to social problem solving by focusing on the steps: Brainstorm, Evaluate, Plan and Act, and Reflect. At this point, students have already worked on self-awareness and self-management, and they are starting to become more socially aware! During this time, they will ask themselves what they can do and will enter the phase where they pick the best solution and try it out. This question set progresses as follows.

Identify Feelings: How do I feel? What am I feeling? How does he, she, or they feel?

Gather Information: What do I know? What is causing this feeling? What can I control? What is my goal?

Brainstorm: What can I do? What strategies can I use?

Evaluate: Has this strategy helped me in the past?

Plan and Act: What do I do first, second, and so on?

Reflect: Did it work? How do I know?

The following sections use the gradual release framework to show how teachers can teach preschoolers to use SELf-questioning to problem solve social problems.

Modeling Social and Emotional SELf-Questions for Students

The first thing I (Michele) focus on when introducing problem solving to my students is modeling how to use these questions for that purpose. The importance of this is for students to become even more comfortable with these steps and their associated SELf-questions.

The more these students hear the question aloud, the quicker they can absorb the information and use it independently. This step is completely teacher directed and observed by students. This can be done within the natural environment or directly taught during whole-group instruction.

Let’s focus on how we can teach social problem solving in the natural environment. For example, Jack and Alex are playing in the blocks center. Jack chose to play with the wooden blocks to make a ramp. Alex chose to play with the trains. The boys have been playing with their respective toys for some time when Jack hears the train “choo-choo” down the tracks. Without hesitation, Jack grabs the toy from Alex’s hand and begins to drive it down the ramp.

Since this observation, the teacher has identified difficulty sharing as a social problem. This is a social problem that can be resolved in the classroom by beginning with the teacher and paraprofessional modeling it for students. The teacher calls over a paraprofessional and explains the social problem she has observed. The teacher and paraprofessional begin playing with toys. The following example is a dialogue that can happen between a teacher and paraprofessional to model social problem solving using the structured SELf questions.

Thinking aloud, the teacher models what to do when a person wants a toy by speaking aloud and modeling body language.

Identify Feelings: How do I feel? “I’m feeling frustrated!”

Gather Information: What is causing this feeling? “I love playing with blocks, but I really want to play with trains.”

Brainstorm: What can I do? “Hmm. What can I do? I know! I can ask them if I can play with the trains.”

Evaluate: Has this strategy helped me in the past? “Has this strategy helped me in the past? Yes! Let’s try it!”

Plan and Act: What do I do first, second, and so on? “First, I’ll ask them if I can play with the trains, and then I will wait. Can I play trains with you?” The paraprofessional states, “Sure! Thank you for asking!”

Reflect: Did it work? “Did it work? Yes, I wanted to play with the trains, I asked to play with them, and then I got them!”

The teacher and paraprofessional proceed to model how they play with trains together.

Modeling in this setting shows students situations they will come across in their natural environment. This open dialogue can be used across all social problems and allows students to see different positive outcomes. Although you may feel silly at first, the more structured SELf-questions you speak aloud, the more your students will hear the process, practice, and internalize it.

Consequently, modeling can also happen during whole-group instruction. Just as before, this example begins with the teacher identifying a social problem within the classroom or one that may arise. When presenting these steps in a whole-group setting, it is more contrived, meaning teachers can plan it out in advance. For example, let’s say the teacher has planned to do a snowman craft using glue sticks and different shapes cut out of construction paper. Each student will receive their pieces to create a snowman. During whole-group instruction, the teacher, along with a paraprofessional, review the steps to creating this craft by showing the students each step.

The teacher and paraprofessional are modeling not only how to put the pieces together but also how to share the glue stick. The teacher is contriving a situation where students are practicing sharing. The teacher will first use the glue stick and put it on the table. The paraprofessional will then take the glue stick off the table and begin to glue the pieces of the craft together. The teacher will begin modeling by stating how she feels. Let’s dive deeper into what this teacher and paraprofessional dialogue could sound like using the problem-solving steps.