During early childhood children learn through creative learning or play.  Jean Piaget developed a theory about the way that children develop intelligence.

He considered that children use a process he called assimilation and accommodation to understand their environment. An example being if a child is shown a horse and then sees a camel, the child may identify the camel as a horse initially until told otherwise.  This is based on their previous experience of being told what a horse looks like. This is the way a child creates and develops their library or memory.   They will use this understanding and adapt them accordingly.

 Have you ever watched children play? They are always trying to solve and navigate various situations. They may become frustrated and upset or elated when it goes well during this process.  Look at children in the park on slides and playing on swings they have learnt how to navigate and make decisions as to how to use them. Parents may coach them but ultimately it is the child that has make the decision to sit down and slide down and learn how to use their legs to create the momentum that enabled the swing to rise higher.

For some people they are unable to utilise these decision-making skills in adulthood and so sometimes they may become unable to make the necessary decision required to solve a problem. One of the reasons for this is that they may lack the confidence or, the tools that are required to make the decisions.  They may be unable to break the problem down and, reshape it or, recontextualise it in order to develop a new approach to a problem.  As a result, they may become disillusioned which can result in may result, in the development of a low mood or anxiety that can end up being bigger than the original problem.

 Some of us lose this childhood confidence when we reach adulthood.  Sometimes it may be due to negative life experiences that may leave us defensive to taking a risk that we may  need to take.  Problem solving is a skill that we need to nurture and develop throughout our lives. Stress, Depression and, Anxiety will forever hold us back from living life to its  full potential.  While there are positives to these conditions in some of the situations we may find ourselves while navigating life itself. In excess these conditions can have a crippling effect to our potential. 

 Source:

Google Scholar

Wynda Y.G (1995) academia.edu : Jean Piaget  - Intellectual Development

Summer Workshops

At Balance is taking bookings for the Summer Workshops that are designed to support a young person’s creativity, scientific and decision-making skills.  They will develop a signature scent and learn to apply it to make a natural product.  The workshops are available during August, and we have a few dates available.  These are fun courses designed to help young people explore their creativity and their aspirations.  If you are a community group or charity that is looking for an activity for your young people get in touch using the contact link on the website.