A diverse mix of lateral thinking, creative, and visual puzzles specifically mixed to stimulate your child’s creative energies

Lateral thinking puzzles for children

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Lateral thinking puzzles are situation puzzles that require explanation. They have multiple answers that aren’t necessarily right or wrong; instead, they’re subjectively judged on the plausibility of their explanation.

These first two puzzles are lateral thinking exercises designed for a parent/adult to perform with a young child.

 

‘Missing school’ lateral thinking puzzle for adults to engage a child’s creativity

Chrissy kisses her mom goodbye and walks out her front door to begin the short walk to her school. A short while later, she turns around and returns home.

Can you explain what happened?

Clue – Chrissy’s mom is expecting her.

Possible answers to get you started:

It started raining shortly after Chrissy left home. Her mother realized that Chrissy would return for an umbrella.

Both Chrissy and her mother had forgotten it was a holiday (or weekend).

Chrissy had forgotten to take her homework.

Chrissy realized that she’d forgotten to pack her lunch.

Chrissy’s puppy ran out the door to chase after Chrissy on her way to school. She had to return the puppy safely home.

Have fun coming up with as many alternatives as possible and watch your child’s creativity grow.

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‘Interrupted play’ lateral thinking puzzle for young children

Tony is playing outside and hears music. He immediately runs inside excitedly. Why?

Clue – He is expecting to hear this music.

Possible answers:

Tony hears the music that plays at the beginning of his favorite tv show.

Tony hears the chiming melody of the ice cream vending truck. He rushes inside to ask his parents for money to buy an ice cream.

Tony hears the church organ playing “hear comes the bride”. His older sister is getting married.

Tony hears a piano playing the song his father loves to play when he’s happy. It means that his father is back from a long business trip away.

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Learn about, and master, creative thinking with your child.

 

The most powerful lateral thinking teaching tool available anywhere …

“This book WILL positively impact your life AND the lives of those you truly care about.”

– Michael Muxworthy

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Take a SNEAK PEEK inside

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The allowance puzzle challenge!

(This puzzle has two parts. Scroll down to see the answers)

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Part A

There is an unlimited supply of $1 coins that are all the same size and shape. Your parents tell you that your allowance is the least number of coins required in order to make sure each and every coin touches exactly three other coins. That number of coins is your allowance, but only if you give the correct answer.

How much allowance do you get?

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Part B

Double your allowance puzzle

Only if you got the “Part A” answer correct, you can DOUBLE your allowance if you can answer this:

How are the coins positioned so they touch every other coin?

The answers appear just below this message.

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An important message for Mom and Dad.

Creativity is something that can easily be learned. On this website, I have built 14 free lessons in creativity that will not only change your lives … but MOST importantly, they will bring a brighter future for your children.

I have worked and reworked the lessons to neatly fit into the most powerful boardrooms in the land, the classroom, or the family home.

Consider doing the lessons WITH your child 9 years and above.

Also, please check out these lateral thinking games and activities for children.

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Answer Part A: Four.

Answer Part B: Three coins lying flat in a triangle shape, and a fourth coin lying flat and centered on top.

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2/. What’s this?  Creative riddle

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Answer: Man overboard

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Only one glass can be moved! Lateral thinking puzzle

There are six glasses of equal size and shape lined up in a row.

The first three glasses are full of liquid. Glasses 4, 5, and 6 are empty.

By moving ONE GLASS ONLY, can you arrange them so that there are alternating full and empty glasses?

Seriously kids, if you get this one, you’re definitely worth more allowance!

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Answer: Take the second glass full of liquid and pour the liquid into glass number 5, then return it to its original position.

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4/. What’s this? Riddle

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Answer: I understand

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How many fruits riddle

The box is full of fruits.
All but four are pears,
all but four are bananas,
and all but four are apples.

How many of each fruit is in the box?

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Parents . . . imagine this!

Try thinking back to your childhood.

Do you remember the moment your parents opened your eyes to the creative world of differentiated thinking?

No?

But your children might.

Seriously. All parents should consider working through this completely free course in creative skills and management … WITH their kids.

I promise you, it is a powerful thrust in the right direction for their futures.

Lateral thinking for kids to learn WITH their parents or teachers.

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Answer: Two of each type

 

6/. What’s this?

/r/e/a/d/i/n/g/

 

 

Answer: Reading between the lines

7/. Which EXIT do I take? Puzzle

You are trapped in a room with three exit doors:

1. Is guarded by a hungry and ferocious lion that patiently waits for you to come through;
2. Explodes if you try to open or move it in any way; and
3. Is made of glass shaped like a magnifying glass that instantly fries you with sunlight if you get too close.

Which exit do you choose, and how?

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Answer: Wait until the sun sets and exit through door number three

 

8/. What’s this?

 

Answer: Crossroads

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Check out these lateral thinking games and activities for children.

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9/. A strange puzzle of math

Under what circumstances does the following equation always hold true?

1100 – 40 = 1000 + 20

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Answer: When the calculation is about using a 24hr time clock.

1100 (11am) – 40 = 1020 (10.20am)

1000 (10am) + 20 = 1020 (10.20am)

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10/. What’s this?

cyclecyclecycle

 

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Answer: Tricycle

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11/. A riddle of days

A cowboy rides into town on Friday.

He spends only one night in town before he departs the next day, Tuesday!

How is this possible?

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Answer: His horse was called “Friday”

 

12/. What’s this?

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Answer: Two degrees below zero

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13/. A wet puzzle question

A man goes for a walk in the rain. He takes no raincoat or umbrella. When her returns home, he is saturated, but not a single hair on his head is wet?

How is this possible?

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Answer: He’s bald

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The best mix of new and classic lateral thinking puzzles anywhere on the internet can be found here:

Top 100 Lateral thinking puzzles – Xtra clues – Multiple answers

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14/. What’s this?

This puzzle gets a little harder for those that are doing well.

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Answer: Neon light (knee – on – light)

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It’s never too early (or late) to start:

The most powerful lateral thinking teaching tool available anywhere …

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Live your dreams

“Training that will enormously impact your life and the lives of those you truly care about.”

– Michael Muxworthy

Available now on AMAZON

 (Only $USD11.99)

Take a SNEAK PEEK inside

 – – –

15/. This riddle makes no sense at all!

You’re driving a city bus that picks up many passengers.

At the first stop, a girl with blonde hair gets on. She sits on the curbside of the bus.

At the second stop, another woman with blonde hair gets on. She also sits on the curbside of the bus.

At the third stop, a man with brown hair and two children with red hair gets on. The man sneers and sits behind the driver, while the two children sit at the very back of the bus.

What color is the bus driver’s hair?

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Answer: You are the bus driver, so it is the color of your own hair.

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16/. What’s this?

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Answer: Six feet underground

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17/. The riddle of saving pets

There is a flood, you are caught on a tiny piece of land, and the water is rising rapidly. You need to carry your three pets across to the safety of higher land across the floodwaters, but you can only carry one pet at a time. the problem is that:

• The dog will kill the cat if left alone;
• The cat will eat the mouse if left alone.

How do you get all three pets to the other side?

1. On the first trip, you carry the cat across and return empty-handed;
2. On the second trip, you carry the dog across, but this time, you return with the cat;
3. On the third trip you, carry the mouse across, and then return again empty-handed; and
4. On the fourth trip, you bring the cat across again.

 

18/. What’s this?

he’s/himself

 

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Answer: He’s by himself or he’s beside himself

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19/. The bathwater brain teaser

You are sitting in a bathtub full of water nearly to the top. You have a bucket, a glass, and a spoon.

Which is the best way to empty the bath?

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Answer: Pull the plug.

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20/. What’s this? Puzzle for creative stimulation

ecnalg

 

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Answer: Glance backwards

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21/. The bus drive puzzled by trigonometry

The bus company has a very strict rule … no parcels or luggage are allowed onboard that are over 4 feet in length.

You’ve just purchased a single-piece kite that is 5 feet long. The kite can’t be folded or disassembled. You try to board the bus.

“That kite is too long,” says the bus driver.

You take the kite (fully assembled and without alteration) and put it into the box it originally came in.

“No, it’s not,” you say. “It’s within the 4 feet limit.”

The bus driver takes a tape measure and checks the length of the box.

“My mistake,” says the bus driver. “It’s only 4 feet long and meets our requirements. Come aboard.”

How is this possible?

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The kite originally came in a box that was 4 feet X 3 feet. The kite was packed diagonally in the box.

The sum of the squared sides equals the sum of the hypotenuse.

16 + 9 = 25

A 5 feet length kite exactly fits diagonally in a 3 X 4 box.

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22/. What’s this?

Death . . . . . . . . . . . . life

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Answer: Life after death

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23/. The puzzle of correct passwords.

Read the following conversation and answer the question at the end.

You: “Mom, I can’t log in to my computer. My password is altered.”

Your Mom: “I needed to change it to a word with 8 letters instead of 7. Your password is now distinct and contains two of the letters of your previous password.”

What is your new password?

What was your old password?

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I encourage you to appreciate the simple power of creative thinking in daily life. Take a look at these real-life examples here

Check out these lateral thinking games and activities for children.

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Answer: Your new password is “distinct”. Your old password was “altered”.

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24/. What’s this?

THINK

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Answer: Think BIG!

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25/. What’s this?

HISTORY

HISTORY

 

Answer: Rewriting history.

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26/. What’s this?

abbbaaaa abbabbbab aaaaaaba baaab

 

Answer: Long time no “C”

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LATERAL THINKING – DISRUPTIVE CREATIVITY