Editor | On 11, Feb 1998

Gregory Frenklach

gregoryf@avx.co.il

I don’t know any TRIZ specialist, who didn’t dream to teach his own kids to solve the inventive problems. And I’m no exception. So I tried to teach my little daughter. The experiment was successful, therefore I would like to share the games which we played with possible followers.

First of all – one little rule:

Don’t explain to your kid anything. He/she already has powerful analyzing abilities (I want to remind you that kids study language with all its bewildering grammar without our explanations).

At the very beginning we need two adults for the games. Usually they are father and mother. Once kid is involved in the game, one of the adult partners leaves the game and the kid continues to play with the other adult.

1. The games for system approach development.

a. System – subsystem.

Father says:” Door”

Mother: ” Handle of the door”

Father: “car”

Mother; “wheel of the car”

Father applies to kid : “TV set”

If kid said:” button of the set” – mother leaves the game and father and kid continue…

b. System – super-system.

Father: “button”

Mother: ” shirt”

Father : “leaf”

Mother: “tree”

Father applies to kid: ” roof”

If kid said:” house” – mother leaves the game and father and kid continue…

2. The games for functional approach development.

“Functional name”

Father: “cup”

Mother: “holder of water”

Father : “knife”

Mother: “cutter”

Father applies to kid: ” curtain”

If kid said:” shutter” – mother leaves the game and father and kid continue…

Of course, the real dialogues between father and mother are longer until kid understands and gets involved in the game.

There are other games, for example, before – after, which develops time approach. Or the game named “relatives”, that develops understanding of different connections in systems. But these games are not checked completely yet. I am going to check them with my second daughter. She is 1 year old now.

Try this game with your kids. It is funny and fun! Good Luck!