Although the example above seems simple, it is not always easy for kids to think in this way, particularly once the puzzles get more difficult. When deciding which puzzles to use with your students, remember that if they are not used to doing activities that involve logical reasoning, they will very likely find them challenging. Your grade 3-4 students might be sufficiently challenged with the numbers to 20 puzzles, even though they work with numbers in the thousands in other math activities.
I recommend making several levels of puzzles available to your students and allowing them to choose the ones that challenge their brains “just enough.” I typically find that students are eager to work to their full potential and will generally choose the ones that are best suited to their abilities.
