The aim of a Puzzle Challenge Day is to raise your students’ own expectations of what they can achieve.
The students will encounter a variety of fun, but challenging 3D hands-on puzzle tasks, which they have to complete in teams. Most challenges last for no more than a few minutes, but require each team to work together and carefully develop strategies in order to find a solution. If the temptation to give up starts to appear, the programme teaches the students how to persevere, put their own skills to better use as part of a team and overcome difficulties by approaching problems from different perspectives.
A Puzzle Challenge Day consists of between three and five programmes with a maximum of 60 students in each one. Each student takes part in one of the programmes.
Primary School Puzzle Challenge Days
For primary school Puzzle Challenge Days, for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 we generally offer either three x 90 minute programmes, or a four programme format with two x 65 minute programmes and two x 70 minute programmes. If you wish to include your Reception classes we can adjust the timings to create a short additional programme in order to accommodate this.
Therefore, up to 240 of your Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 students will be able to take part in a day with the opportunity for an extra 60 Reception students to be included as well.
Secondary School Puzzle Challenge Days
For secondary school Puzzle Challenge Days we recommend a format of three x 90 minute programmes, allowing 180 students to take part in the day. If you do need to create a fourth programme, we will advise you on how best to accommodate this.
Please note that programme timings are flexible to fit in with your school day. All of the challenges are age and ability appropriate and the programmes are also suitable, and especially beneficial to students with specific learning difficulties and for Gifted and Talented programmes.
Many schools host a Puzzle Challenge Day…
- As an activity to help develop thinking skills.
- As part of an activity week, maths week or enrichment week
- As a team-building activity that will benefit students of all abilities, including those with specific learning difficulties.
- As a special activity for Gifted and Talented pupils.
- As a beginning/end of year activity for a class or year group.
- As an Inset programme for staff.
Click here to enquire about booking a Puzzle Challenge Day for you