The Benefits of Riddles for Kids

1. The Benefits of Riddles for Kids In a world where social media and networks are becoming increasingly important to subsequent generations, it is more important than ever to teach children in any way possible and to create bonds with them outside of the internet. One great way to achieve all of this that is being greatly neglected by almost everybody is riddles. Riddles are good for children in more ways than you may think. Make them laugh: Nothing is more precious than a child's laughter. Laughter is also a great way to motivate people to keep working when things seem monotonous. It helps us release stress, relaxes the brain and body, and just makes us feel good. Since this boredom is one of the larger problems associated with children's learning, riddles are a good way to break up the day and relax the brain, while keeping it working. Make them think: Critical thinking and problem solving skills are two of the most treasured abilities in our society today, demonstrated by the importance of the SAT and ACT in American society. Both of these tests are heavily based on critical thinking and problem solving skills. Riddles like What has four eyes but can't see have been shown in several studies to improve children's comprehension and creativity, making them a perfect workout for your brain. Since we were children we have all enjoyed the occasional riddle from one of our teachers, parents, friends, or the television. They are fun because we can either enjoy the answer to the riddle because it is funny or ironic, or we can enjoy it because we solved it or now have the ability to solve it. Whatever the case, riddles are fun for the whole family and have been a part of the human experience for millennia. But for children, riddles could mean so much more than another time-filling exercise. If we look at riddles in a more scientific way we find out that children can benefit a lot from doing riddles. A study from the University of Sussex analyzed an experiment relating the understanding and use of riddles and how it relates to text comprehension in children. It shows that children who are trained to understand and solve riddles improve markedly in text comprehension. The study also shows that children who have an appreciation of higher-level riddles have a higher comprehension of text. In this study 36 children were split into two groups, one that was trained to understand the ambiguity of riddles and solve them, and the

2. other a control group. The group that studied riddles performed significantly higher on comprehension tests when compared to the control group. There have been several studies of this nature, all of which show positive results in favor of the use of riddles. This brings to light the fact that young children, or any child to an extent, should be exposed to riddles of various difficulties at as young an age as possible. In doing so, they will have improved reading abilities and improved problem solving skills. This can help prepare them for a more rigorous learning environment, allowing them to thrive in school rather than struggle like so many are in America's 'No Child Left Behind' mentality. Improve their reading comprehension: In the United States literacy rates are at 99 percent, but comprehension is another story. Everybody can read but this doesn't mean they can understand more complex subject matter. Riddles improve reading comprehension skills by expanding vocabulary and understanding of words. Expand their vocabulary: When children (and really everyone) encounter words that they don't understand they figure them out through context. Riddles give words a great deal of context which makes it easier for children to learn, remember and use these words. In another way, riddles force kids to ask more questions about words they don't understand. Allowing them to teach: Teaching kids riddles allows them to know something that is easily repeated and taught to other people. Rather than just repeating information they learn onto tests they can also teach these riddles to their peers, parents, and teachers. This reinforces their understanding of the riddle and it also allows them to interact with people in a constructive social way. To bond with children: Teaching riddles to children gives them a fun and constructive way to bond with their parents and other individuals, forming good social skills.