The Grey Labyrinth is a collection of puzzles, riddles, mind games, paradoxes and other intellectually challenging diversions. Related topics: puzzle games, logic puzzles, lateral thinking puzzles, philosophy, mind benders, brain teasers, word problems, conundrums, 3d puzzles, spatial reasoning, intelligence tests, mathematical diversions, paradoxes, physics problems, reasoning, math, science.

Ghost Post · Icarian Member

I teach the 4th grade and I am interested in any puzzles/logic problems that would be appropriate for this age group. I love to see the light go on in children's eyes when they are really thinking. Games, Questions, Puzzles, really do this for children. I have a wide range of reading ability from 1st grade - 4th. However, one of my students who struggles with the written word gets very excited about just learning about things. Thanks for your help.
Firemeboy's mom
P.S. Is my son being a nice boy?

[This message has been edited by firemeboy's mom (edited 09-02-2000).]

CzarJ · Hot babe

psh, yeah right. "nice boy". haha

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Sofis · Beautiful and Decadent

Hi there, firemeboy's mom. He's been behaving

.

As for puzzles, I've always liked this one, although it may be a bit hard... you should look through the Grey Labyrinth puzzles.

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I'm a really rich pink and scarlet steam-like fabric with gold highlights and some very dark maroon-purple (thanks, tiny cow!).

[This message has been edited by Sofis (edited 09-03-2000).]

Arthur · Daedalian Member

This is not so much a puzzle as a thought provoking, discussion provoking experiment.
Take an ordinary 1 metre ruler and place it as a bridge between your two index fingers one metre apart. Tell the class that you are going to keep one finger totally unmoving and slide the other finger towards it under the ruler and invite conjecture as to what they feel will occur. Most children expect the ruler to eventually fall to the floor as the weight of the ruler takes over.
Perform the operation and then discuss the phenomena. If you have never done it you will be surprised. Dont feel hurt if they accuse you of cheating in some way.

Murray · Daedalian Member

Hi, firemeboy's mom. Nice to have you here. One place you might look is a website I enjoy:

http://forum.swarthmore.edu/dr.math/

There is a section for elementary students and teachers, and within that section there is a subsection labeled "puzzles." It looks to me like you could find a few things there. The other subsections might also yield a few things your kids might find interesting. Also, if you have any questions about math, this is a great resource.

I love board games and so I'm trying to think of a few your kids might enjoy. Lot's of them may already play chess, so there's that. Another fun game that I think young kids could handle pretty easily is Mancala. The game is pretty cheap to buy since there are many manufacturers of it. There are a lot of cheap little travel versions. Here websites:

A description of the game and an computer opponent.

Better yet, do a search on Google.com for "mancala" and you'll get lots of good sites.

...Oh, wow, I just thought of something great. There is a game called "Octi" that was selected as Games magazine's abstract strategy game of the year. Not long ago, the inventor of the game posted this message on an Octi website:

firemeboy · Daedalian Member

CzarJ, I thought we agreed we would say nice things about me when my mom posted! Now I am going to have to give you another whoopin' and steal your lunch money again.

Chuck · Daedalian Member

I think CzarJ is in the 4th grade. Ask him what games and puzzles he likes.

firemeboy · Daedalian Member

VinnyQ · Vi Ni Kiu

I tried the ruler-bridge-thing Arthur had suggested and I was totally amazed. I would never have thought about the fact that as the distance between your fingers shorten, the force pushing the against the ruler (friction), caused by you moving your finger, would increase to the point that it over comes the down force of gravity on the ruler. It's nice to know that the Universe is so nicely balance

Anybody else got any clever little physic tricks?

CzarJ · Hot babe

I tried, but all I had was a 12-inch metal ruler.

My foot hurts.

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Why?
Why not?

mathgrant · A very tilted cell member

Try puzzle games. There's tons of good puzzle games out there. Especially old puzzle games.

EEEM · Saucy Mod

A little physics lesson on free fall.

Poke two holes (about 1/2cm diameter) on opposite sides of a plastic cup. Hold your fingers over the holes and fill the cup until the water level is above the holes. Hold the cup at any height and drop it. The water won't come out of the holes until the cup hits the ground. It get's a little messy when the cup does hit the ground, but it's a fun trick.

The water is falling at the same rate as the cup so it doesn't come out of the holes.

Website I found more accurately explaining this experiment: http://www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/freefall2.html

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I've never been a great mathematician, but I know that you + me = raunchy!