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