Challenging children to solve problems and think critically is an important skill for them to have. Make learning these skills fun with hands on activities and puzzles. I create a lot of escape rooms that can develop these skills, but sometimes you may want to only focus on one puzzle, or you may only have time for one activity. If these are skills you are looking to develop, keep reading and then grab your copy of the free critical thinking activity for kids.

The puzzle is easy to print and perfect for classroom use or a fun, quick family game. If the children doing the activity are young, or new to puzzles like this, it’s a great opportunity to sit with them and work through each of the clues together. With each clue, children will identify the different cut outs, based on shape and color. They then have to place each shape into the correct box on the grid. Some of the clues will force players to move their shape to a new location, but they must be careful that the new location still fits the description. It’s a puzzle filled with careful reading and critical thinking.

Puzzles like this require time and patience. Children will not be able to read through the clues and finish in a matter of minutes. They will need to read each clue, understand each clue and then make a decision as to where to place their shape. The clues are not written to confuse or trick readers, but rather require close reading and critical thinking.

As children work to solve the puzzle, challenge them to explain their thinking. Critical thinking isn’t just about getting the right answer. It’s the process and being able to consider different possibilities while making sense of the problem they are faced with.

This critical thinking puzzle is also a great introduction to escape rooms. It teaches children to look closely at clues and the words and read them carefully to understand. I love using simple puzzles like this in my classroom with students to problem solve and figure out.

Critical Thinking Activity for Kids

This puzzle is used as part of a full escape room game. If you love the idea of the puzzle, make sure to check out the full activity. You can find the step by step instructions in the Best Kids Escape Room Challenge. Please note that a few of the clues are slightly different in the escape room versus the printable puzzle below. If you do the full escape room, make sure to use the printable created for that activity.

There are a few ways that you can set up this puzzle for kids. Start by printing all three of the pages in the file. The first page is the set of instructions, the second is the shapes, and the third is the grid. Make sure to not print your pages double sided so that you can cut out the shapes. The page with all of the shapes needs to be printed in color. Once your pages are printed, cut out the shapes and put them into a pile, or a small sealable bag. Players will receive each of the pages for them to use to solve the puzzle.

Another option is to create the shapes using polymer clay. I did this when I used the puzzle as part of an escape room to make it more hands-on, but also because I knew that I would have dozens of children using each of the pieces because I used it at school. With the clay, the pieces last a lot longer. You can also choose to print and laminate the pages to help them last.

Solving the Puzzle

Some children may find the puzzle frustrating or difficult to solve. If they need support, feel free to give as much, or as little as you feel they need. To create great problem solvers and critical thinkers, make sure to step back for a bit as children make mistakes and have to reread the clues. This is when real learning happens it’s also a great way to develop perseverance.

As children read the clues, they will find that they may have to move some of their pieces around as they follow the descriptions. Once children think that they have solved all of the descriptions and placed the pieces in the right spot, encourage them to read through the instructions one final time to make sure that all of the clues fit with where the pieces are placed.

Once each of the shapes have been placed on the grid, kids can then read the six locations that each hold a final letter/clue (found at the bottom of the page). When these locations and letters are found, children will know that they correctly solved the puzzle as they find the word, “WINNER”.

Download the Puzzle Below

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