PUZZLES FOR BRAIN FITNESS

Scott Kim, shufflebrain.comThe 29th International Puzzle Party, Aug 8, 2009

Puzzles = mental sportsPuzzles are to mental fitness asSports are to physical fitnessA fun way to stay healthy

as an elite sportSmall communityMotivated by sport itselfHigh challenge

Puzzles

as a popular sportBig communityMotivated by fun, healthAdapt sport for novicesExperts become coaches

Puzzles

EducationPutting brain fitness in context

Three ways to use puzzles

1. Teach a subject

2. Teach problem solving

3. Exercise your brain

1. Teach a subjectTeach a subject like math or physicsAlternative to worksheetsMatch puzzle with subject

SUBJECTArithmeticFractionsGeometryCombinatoricsPerspective

PUZZLEMath DiceTangramsPattern BlocksPentominoesTowers of Hanoi

FractionsTangrams

1. Teach a subject

2. Teach problem solving

Teach general strategiesThat apply to all sorts of problemsMatch puzzle with strategy

STRATEGIESWork BackwardsBe SystematicPlan AheadEliminateParity

PUZZLEMazeTowers of HanoiRush HourTangrams15 Puzzle

Plan AheadRush Hour

2. Teach problem solving

3. Exercise your brainExercise areas of brainSimilar to physical fitnessMatch puzzle with brain area

BRAIN AREAMemoryFocusLogicLanguageVisual

PUZZLEConcentrationLabyrinthRubik’s CubeBoggleJigsaw Puzzle

MemoryConcentration

3. Exercise your brain

Where is the opportunity?

1. Subject

2. Problem solving

3. Brain fitness

Where is the opportunity?

1. Subject

2. Problem solving

3. Brain fitness

LimitedSchools have no money (but parents paying for extra classes is growing)

Where is the opportunity?

1. Subject

2. Problem solving

3. Brain fitness

Limited

LimitedSchools don’t teach problem solving (but professional ed sometimes does)

Where is the opportunity?

Limited1. Subject

2. Problem solving

3. Brain fitness

Limited

BIG OPPORTUNITY

People want it and feel they need it.

Brain Fitness

Part of healthy lifestyle

A major growing trend

Now: computer games

Future: mass market

Brain Fitness

Puzzles for brain fitnessWhat they need to do

1. Show people

2. Reconfigurable pieces

3. Performance tracking

4. Small rateable chunks

5. Customizable content

Conclusions

SummaryEducation — three typesBrain fitness — major health trendPuzzles — what they need to do

scott@shufflebrain.com

OpportunitiesCollector: Choose puzzlesSolver: Teach, coachMaker: Adapt puzzlesInventor: New puzzles