Skill
Tries Strategies to Solve Problems
Child uses a variety of strategies, including persistence and trial and error, to solve everyday problems.
Ages 6–36 months
Why it matters
Flexible problem-solving grows from trying an action, noticing it did not work, and trying another. Persisting through several attempts and combining behaviors builds the cognitive flexibility at the heart of executive function.
Builds toward this milestone
- learns to use a variety of strategies in solving problems. — Head Start ELOF
What mastery looks like
- Repeats and varies actions to make something happen, such as filling and emptying a container.
- Stays with a challenging problem and tries several times.
- Uses more than one strategy, such as trial and error, a simple tool, or asking for help.
How to observe it
- When one approach fails, does the child try a different one?
- How long does the child persist before giving up or seeking help?
Accessibility
- Offer problems with large, easy-to-grip pieces for children with motor differences.
- Break a problem into smaller steps for children who become overwhelmed.
Activities
Evidence
- Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs (4th ed.) — National Association for the Education of Young Children · 2022 · National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Early Atlas