Solving problems creatively is a lifelong activity. As teachers, you can begin to foster a love of problem solving in students, even young students. This book provides many opportunities, resources, and lessons for helping young children solve real problems.

This book offers 22 practical lessons to guide children in the primary grades in learning and using a simplified approach to Creative Problem Solving. Young children face many opportunities and challenges that are new and important to them in their own lives, both in and out of school. Creative Problem Solving methods and tools can be applied in ways that are developmentally appropriate and effective for young children.

The activities in Adventures in Real Problem Solving help children learn to identify real problems, challenges, and opportunities in their lives, such as problems in the school cafeteria or on the playground. Students then generate ideas and take action to solve these problems creatively. The book includes step-by-step directions for teacher-led activities and a variety of reproducible pages. The lessons in this book encourage young children to think creatively and become creative problem solvers.

Other activity books that teach Creative Problem Solving to young students are Big Tools for Young Thinkers and Primarily Problem Solving.

Grades K-3

Kristin Narde (nee Puccio) has a master's degree in Creative Studies. She has worked as a specialist in productive thinking where she taught whole classes, K-4, in creativity and Creative Problem Solving. Currently, she uses CPS and productive thinking methods as an elementary classroom teacher. Narde has developed creativity materials and presented nationally on CPS for primary students.

Susan Keller-Mathers is an assistant professor at the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State College where she teaches in a master of science in creativity graduate program. She holds an MS. Degree in Creativity and a Ed.D degree in curriculum and instruction.