Critical thinking · lesson 19 of 24 · free

Problem-solving steps — Critical thinking for kids

Problem-solving skills are critical thinking in action. Step 1: understand the problem — what exactly is wrong? Step 2: think of ideas (more than one). Step 3: choose the best idea. Step 4: try it out. Step 5: check if it worked — if not, go back and try another idea. Staying calm, breaking a big problem into parts and asking for help all make it easier.

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Thinking tip

Five calm steps — “understand, think of ideas, choose, try, check”

  1. The steps in order: understand the problem → think of ideas → choose the best idea → try it out → check if it worked.
  2. Helps: staying calm, breaking it into parts, asking for help, drawing a diagram, trying again.
  3. Gets in the way: panicking, giving up at once, blaming others, repeating the same try, guessing wildly.

Use it for: Maths problems, broken things at home, arguments, school projects and anything that goes wrong.

Worked example: 🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: list possible fixes or put the plan to work? → list possible fixes

  1. Listing possible fixes is step 2 (think of ideas); putting the plan to work is step 4 (try it out).
  2. Step 2 comes before step 4.

Check: Try it: pick one small problem at home and write all five steps as you solve it ✓

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✏️ Practice

Work it out in your head or on paper, type the answer and press Check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.

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🏁 Lesson 19 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

🏅 Sign in with Google to earn the 🛠️ Step-by-Step Solver badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 6 lessons of Part 4 · Decide and solve. You can still take the test without signing in.

🖨️ Problem Solving Skills Worksheet: Five Steps

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