Very often, inconspicuous and seemingly completely insignificant things can do more for the development of intelligence than special purposeful actions. Studying effortlessly - this is the best way of education, not burdensome and interesting. An example of this approach can be called any puzzle with matches.
Why matches?
Medicine and psychology unanimously declare the relationship of brain regions and biologically active points on different parts of the body. The hands in this case, namely the palms, are the zone of their greatest accumulation on the surface of the body. A phenomenon called fine motorism is precisely the stimulation of brain activity by sorting out small objects.
But the point is not only in the touch of hands on them? Many absolutely identical objects in shape, length and width, color, are attracted by the fact that they give an impetus to the imagination. After all, the matches themselves are almost neutral, dim and unexpressive. From them you can create combinations and compositions, group at your discretion. And then every match becomes significant, part of something whole.
How to put the garbage shown in the picture in a scoop, shifting just two matches? But in fact, you need to shift only one match, and the other only slightly move to the right! This simple puzzle with matches is not solved by every adult, and the difficulty can only be in the wording of the assignment.
What is the method aimed at?
Match puzzle games are aimed at developing all kinds of thinking. The magnificent training of figurative, logical and spatial thinking is the result of such an accessible and useful entertainment. Mindfulness and the ability to think are necessary conditions for successfully solving this type of problem.
In early childhood, when matches, puzzles with matches are still inaccessible to children, curious children can receive answers to their questions from adults. Parents can resort to creating fabulous scenes from match figures. This prepares the child for the next stage of development and for the independence of logical conclusions.
The solution to more complex puzzles becomes available with the further development of logical thinking. Roman puzzle numbers are very popular:
VI - IV = IX
It is necessary to shift one match so that the equation becomes true. There are two possible answers:
1. V + IV = IX
2. VI + IV = X
Or even more complicated equality:
V - IV = VII
The answer is to extract the root from the unit:
V - IV = √I
What you should pay attention to
It must be remembered that matches are a rather dangerous subject for children in the absence of proper attention from adults. Like any small and sharp object, a match can cause injury to the ear, eyes or be accidentally swallowed. Therefore, safety training on the handling of matches should precede games or training with their use.
The possibility of variability is an important point in classes where matches are used (puzzles with matches). Answers do not have to be strictly fixed, although there are quite definite answer options. Thinking non-standard, if the result is achieved, is allowed and even encouraged.
Expected Result and Indicators
Matches can be used for intellectual entertainment and learning, starting from the age of three, with the direct participation of an adult. Children of primary school age and adolescents are especially interested in such riddles and puzzles. The competitive spirit plays a role here, and classes can be conducted in team form.
Puzzles such as “create a figure” or “rearrange a match” are acceptable for a younger age when the child is less assiduous. Here, tasks are ideal where you need to rearrange several matches to achieve the opposite result. For example, an animal running or looking in a certain direction, shown in the figure above, can turn its head or run in the opposite direction when shifting matches. Everything is simple here: just swap the matches that make up the head and tail.
More complex puzzles with numbers and complex geometric shapes are more suitable for students. Only a person familiar with numerical combinations or having developed logical thinking can change the result of an arithmetic operation or create a numerical value from a figure . For example, "9 + 0 = 6". To get the desired result, you need to shift just one match.
Two options are possible here, as seen in the picture. You can shift the match in the first digit, 9, making it a six. Result: 6 + 0 = 6. And you can put a match in the six after the equal sign, making it a nine. Result: 9 + 0 = 9.
Match-based games are universal. Such a puzzle with matches can be included in the home study program and used as elements of extracurricular activities. But it is impossible not to mention that as match puzzles are growing in popularity again, developers of mobile applications began to offer them. So now you can train your intellect without breaking away from your favorite device by installing a puzzle with matches on it, which is very important for the modern generation.