How to Lead Others

Finding Solutions:

Here are a number of games and puzzles to help children, or teachers and helpers develop their problem solving skills:

1.  Cross Puzzle:

Print pictures of the most complicated cross (or other picture) onto thin card and then cut it into five or more odd shaped pieces.  Children then race to piece together the cross, without knowing what it looks like.

2.  Drawing Puzzle:

Give out pencils and paper to everybody.  Each person must work alone and draw an open envelope picture.  But, they cannot cross or retrace a line or lift the pencil.  Award small prizes to those who get it right.

3.  Problem Minefield:

Teams must work out what they will do to solve a problem.  After a time limit, each team choose a member who will report back their solution plan.  The whole group then discusses the solutions and chooses the best one.  Here are a number of sample problems for them to solve, and decide what they as an individual need to do:

1.  You see two grade seven boys (bigger than you) fighting while everybody shouts, "kill him!"

2.  You see two girls climbing over the fence to bunk school.

3.  You are a boy and hear several big girls hurting a smaller girl in the girl's toilet.

4. You find some boys smoking and they offer you a packet of cigarettes if you won't tell on them.

5. You see two girls cheating in a test and they threaten to bash you if you report their cheating.

4.  Report Writing:

Teams write notes about the rules, values and vision of their Sunday School, Children's Church or day school, and the typical discipline, behaviour and relationship problems that are experienced, and how they would solve them.

5.  Making Placards: