Use Brain Teasers in the Classroom to Make Learning Fun and Exciting

How can Brain Teasers be used in the classroom?

Brain Teasers are a great way to make learning fun and exciting in the classroom. Brain Teasers are defined as a puzzles or problems, typically designed for learning and amusement. Here we will be looking at ways that Brain Teasers can be used as a strategy to improve learning and student engagement in the classroom.

Why use Brain Teasers in the classroom?

First, let’s take a look at the benefits of using Brain Teasers in the classroom. Besides being entertaining and fun, Brain Teasers have the ability to:

• Boost one’s brain activities
• Provide students with a sense of accomplishment and emotional satisfaction of completing the task
• Improve memory and other cognitive skills including the speed of processing information
• Stimulate students to think both critically and quickly
• Improve interest in learning and reduces boredom
• Facilitate active participation and student engagement in the classroom

Classroom applications of Brain Teasers

Although simple in nature, Brain Teasers can be highly engaging and stimulative for students. Here are some simple ways to get started and useBrain Teasers in your classroom:

• Warm-up activitiy: To get the class buzzing and active, use Brain Teasers as a warm-up activity. One way to do this is to group students together and give each group a list of Brain Teasers. Give each group 1-2 minutes to find the answers to as many Brain Teasers as they can. At the end of the two minutes, present the answers and each group can tally their number of correct answers. Keep a score card on the board and note down each group’s points.

• In between activity: Brain Teasers can be given as in between activities to provide students with a short “active time.” However the nature of the Brain Teasers in this session, can be more content or lesson specific and aim at providing students with a practical demonstration of the theories or content taught.

• Brainy corner: Sometimes students need a break, so why not make this “break time”  stimulating for students? Arrange the classroom to have various brainy corners and keep it stocked with various fun Brain Teasers. Stock up on riddles, games, paper, pencils, puzzles,etc. in each corner. Name each corner and put a sign on it. At the start of the class, have your students pick a sheet of paper from a jar kept on your desk. During the assigned “break time” instruct students to open their sheets of paper and proceed to the corner with the sign on the paper. Students can then decide whether to play individually or in groups with the resources kept in the corner. At the end of the alloted time (maybe 5-10 min), students are instructed to get back to their seats and resume the lesson. Students can also make use of the brainy corners after early completion of an activity such as a test or writing assignment while the other students are still completing activity.

• Brain Teaser week: Plan for weekly Brain Teasers that specifically improve a particular cognitive skill or subject. For example, if week one is for math, have a set of mathematical Brain Teasers prepared in advance. During the week have students answer one to two Brain Teaser each day either individually or in group. On completion of the activity, have the group or individual explain their rationale and how they found their answer.

Using Brain Teasers, we can build curiosity and interest in the classroom, as well as stimulate the development of various cognitive learning skills. Use these strategies to facilitate active participation and learning in the classroom.

Like this article for teachers?

Browse the Professional Learning Board COURSE CATALOG to find related online courses for teachers in your state. Professional Learning Board is a leading provider of online professional development classes that teachers use to renew a teaching license or renew a teaching certificate.