“Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.”
—Roger Lewin, PhD
(British prize-winning scientist, writer and author)
WINTER ‘25
Our Featured Skill
Each season at Rooted In Play Outdoor Learning, we focus on helping children develop one of 8 core skills they need to become curious, capable learners who can contribute to their world. This winter, our lessons will help kids develop their problem solving skills.
Kids will wonder, observe, experiment, and work together—all while developing problem-solving mindsets and learning that it’s fun and healthy to get outdoors all 4 seasons!
What Is Problem Solving and How Do Kids Learn to Problem Solve?
Problem solving can be thought about as the ability to do all of the following: identify problems to solve; invent solutions to that problem; and arrive at one or more solutions that work. Many experts and I believe that strong problem solvers exhibit all three of these components with a playful spirit and with joy.
Early in life, children’s minds are flexible and hungry to make sense of the world, creating a drive to test hypotheses; and, it turns out, they are quite capable of thinking and learning like scientists. In 2014, the National Science Teachers Association adopted a position statement that identifies key principles to guide the learning of scientific thinking among young children. These principles include:
Children have the capacity to engage in scientific practices and develop understanding at a conceptual level.
Young children need multiple and varied opportunities to engage in science exploration and discovery.
Young children develop science skills and learning by engaging in experiential learning.
Not only are children born predisposed to problem solve, this position statement includes that adults can play a key role in children’s problem solving development and scientific thinking. The kinds of experiences we offer our children and the way in which we allow them to own those learning experiences can help them turn their infinite capacity for wonder into strong and flexible problem solving skills. Hurrah! We can play a role!
Why Is Problem Solving Important?
There’s no skill more essential to our children’s future success than problem solving—and that’s true no matter how you define success. It’s so important that the World Economic Forum identified complex problem solving as the #1 skill people will need to thrive in the workforce of the future.
Life really never stops presenting problems to solve, and if you have the capacity to meet them and solve them, you can better adjust to a changing environment, navigate key relationships, and contribute to your family, local and broader communities. Our children will be inheriting a complicated and challenged world, and they’ll need to be capable scientific thinkers and problem solvers if they are going to thrive. This is one of the many reasons problem-solving is one of the 8 core skills we help kids develop using the Tinkergarten curriculum.
What Can You Expect This Winter?
Rooted In Play Outdoor Learning follows the much-loved and expertly designed Tinkergarten curriculum to inspire lots of outdoor, hands-on, and playful learning.
Throughout the winter series, we’ll turn the outdoors into a “discovery lab” that fosters kids' problem-solving skills. Kids will wonder, observe, experiment, and work together to come up with various solutions of all kinds of problems.
Our lessons follow a steady progression and are organized into three units:
“We Are Explorers” unit (lessons 1-3), we discover that there are problems to solve everywhere and there are many ways to solve a problem.
“We Are Scientists” unit (lessons 4-6), we think like scientists to solve big problems, observing, experimenting, and sharing ideas to learn from what we see.
“We Are Changemakers” unit (lessons 7-9), we explore how working together can help us imagine, test and find the best solutions for our community and our planet!
Also, Tinkergarten has produced a season map for each season, to give kids and their grown-ups a way to picture the learning journey. This map is intended to help kids visualize the progression of lessons, units and experiences that weave together to make impactful learning. We’ll also get lots of inspiration from our weekly featured creatures, too!
For even more info, check out the Winter/Problem Solving Curriculum Overview!
Class Info & Dates
Who: Classes are designed to engage children ~18 months to 8 years old, with caring adult, however, children younger and older are welcome to enroll. This class series will meet once per week for ~75 minutes, in all-weather (as per national temperature and AQI safety guidelines).
Location & Offerings: All classes will meet at beautiful Crestwood Park in Cottonwood Heights. The winter series will kick-off the first week of January, and meet for 8 consecutive weeks (+1 bonus or makeup class the first week of March). Classes will be offered on the following days and times*:
Tue at 3pm (Jan 7-Mar 4)
Wed at 10:30am (Jan 8-Mar 5)
Fri at 10:30am (Jan 10-Mar 7)
*Class dates and times are subject to change, due to uncontrollable circumstances (ie unsafe weather, illness, etc).
Flex Packs: Need more flexibility? Flex packs will offered this winter season, and will consist of 5 classes. Flex packs can be used as a “drop-in” style option, and you can attend any scheduled class that works for you. Flex Packs will become available once classes have met minimum enrollment requirements.
Trial Classes: Trial classes will be offered throughout the season (lessons 1-7), to give new/interested families a chance to try out the program and have an in-class experience. Registration will open once the class meets minimum enrollment requirements .
What’s Included with Enrollment:
8 in-person lessons (+1 bonus or make-up class)
Open-ended play invitations and engaging nature-based activities
Animal/creature education
Music and movement
Tea & Storytime
Skill certificate
Enrollment also includes a emailed weekly book list, kids podcast episode or music playlist suggestions, parent/caregiver resources, and hands-on activity ideas to try at home. Enrollees receive a discount code for friends to use on a trial class and early access to any upcoming classes, pop-up activities, events and more!
Cost: Total enrollment cost is $185 (+tax) for the full 8 class series, and $140 (+tax) for flex packs (5 classes).
See you outside!
*Save 10% on a full series class, when you enroll by Fri, 11/22—just enter code EARLYBIRD10 at checkout!
