Mind Benders Level 1

I always like to include thinking items into our homeschool. I want our kids to be able to critically think about a problem and find a solution on their own or with some help if they need any. If you are regular to my blog then you know we love our games from Timberdoodle so when I saw this book on their website I had to get it. Mind Benders is a great little workbook to add in during the week as an extra fun activity. 

The whole workbook is deciding which one goes with the other. Example: does dad/son/daughter have a cat, dog or shark as a pet based on the clues given. Since our daughter is 4 I do read the clues to her. All the rest is on her but I will answer any questions she has along the way. 

What I love to do is just sit back and see her come up with the solution on her own. Doing her own thought process building her critical thinking skills and she gains a ton of confidence and pride knowing she was able to get the answers on her own. 

My son loves “hard” things, and this book has been fun to explore with him. We use it before the “meat and potatoes” of our lessons as well as between subjects to keep the flow going.

My daughter really loves doing this puzzle book. She's seen me doing logic problems frequently, and was so excited to have a book of her very own. She needed a little support at first, but quickly caught on, and has increased her deductive skills.

This is a good logic book, but I think it’s too difficult for 4 year olds. It’s more appropriate for 6-7 years. It’s a difficult skill to grasp, and younger kids may have a harder time with this.

My son has seen me do logic puzzles often, so he was excited about trying them himself this year. He has really enjoyed this book. He flew through the first 10 or so puzzles, but they become more difficult throughout the book, and in the last quarter of it he is really having to think to figure it out. Sometimes he needs help from me, because he has trouble with the negative clues (Mom does NOT have a 4-legged pet, etc.). He wants to mark Yeses, and doesn't always get that marking something as a No is just as useful. But that's good! He's learning! I asked him if he wanted me to get him the second level and he said yes, so we are purchasing the next one.