A kindergarten teacher uses blocks as learning tools. What activity would best support the promotion of children's problem-solving skills?

The activity of having children work in small groups to build a block structure that will support a heavy book is particularly effective in promoting problem-solving skills for several reasons.

First, working in small groups encourages collaboration and communication among children, allowing them to share ideas, express their thoughts, and negotiate solutions as they encounter challenges together. This teamwork aspect is essential for developing social skills while also enhancing critical thinking as they discuss different strategies.

Second, the requirement for their structure to support a heavy book introduces a specific challenge that requires the children to think critically about their design. They must consider stability, balance, and weight distribution, engaging in the iterative process of planning, testing, and refining their construction. This hands-on experience offers practical application of problem-solving skills, as the children must test their ideas and adapt based on what they observe during the construction process.

Through this activity, children not only learn foundational engineering concepts but also develop resilience as they navigate failures and learn from their mistakes. The combination of collaborative effort, critical thinking, and real-world application makes this approach an ideal method for fostering problem-solving abilities in young learners.