The Problem Solving collection by Ergotreatment brings together OT activities, therapy games, and learning resources that help children think more flexibly, handle challenges, and find solutions in everyday life. Designed for parents, teachers, and pediatric occupational therapists, this collection focuses on building the cognitive and emotional foundations that support child development, independence, and confidence.

Here you’ll find board games, card games, hands-on tasks, and printable resources that target problem-solving, executive functioning, and attention and focus in a playful, low-pressure way. Many of the materials function as family activity ideas, small-group tools for the classroom, or structured tasks for clinic and school-based OT sessions.

Problem-solving is a key part of pediatric occupational therapy because it underpins how a child responds when things don’t go as planned — whether it’s a tricky homework task, a social misunderstanding, or a game that doesn’t go their way. Difficulties with problem-solving often show up as:

• getting “stuck” when plans change
  
• meltdowns or shutdowns when tasks feel hard
  
• relying on adults to fix every small challenge
  
• giving up quickly or refusing to try new things
  

These behaviours are closely linked to executive functioning skills such as planning, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and impulse control, as well as emotional regulation and self-regulation.

The resources in this collection are designed to make these skills more concrete and teachable. Through play-based learning and everyday OT activities, children can practice how to:

• break a bigger problem into smaller, manageable steps
  
• generate more than one solution or “plan B”
  
• think flexibly when rules or routines change
  
• use visual supports and checklists to guide their thinking
  
• stay calm, pause, and choose a strategy instead of reacting impulsively
  

You’ll find OT worksheets, OT printables, and digital activities that can be used as print and go activities for busy therapists and families. Many tools pair perfectly with board games and therapy games, allowing children to work on real-life problem-solving within meaningful play.

This collection is especially supportive for children with autism, ADHD, learning differences, or other special needs, who may need more explicit practice with flexible thinking and coping strategies. By combining OT goals, structured home programs, and consistent practice at home, school, and in the clinic, problem-solving skills can gradually generalize to real situations like homework, friendships, and daily routines.

Use the Problem Solving collection to build your own OT toolkit for home, clinic, or classroom. Pair OT resources, worksheets, and games with simple visuals and routines so that children can learn to approach challenges with confidence, think through their options, and participate more fully and independently in everyday life.