Kids are problem solvers just like the rest of us. Their approaches, however, are often different from those of grown-ups. Often more creative in their execution.
But that is to be expected and, even more so, celebrated. We continue to scour the internet for instances of kids putting their smarts to a whole new level by incorporating solutions to problems that most find so surprising that it’s actually impressive.
#1 Light Grease
Image credits: edoloughlin
#2 Smart Kid
Image credits: 4Ever_Waiting
#3 Quinn Answered A Request From The Local Hospitals For Help With Creating More "Ear Guards" To Help Take The Pressure Off Healthcare Workers' Ears From Wearing Masks All Day
He got busy on his 3D printer and has been turning out dozens of ear guards to donate. We need more volunteers to fire up their 3D printers and donate these ear guards to hospitals and medical professionals!
Image credits: hebby2u
Contrary to certain social and cultural ways of thinking, kids are actually pretty smart. No matter how you spin it.
You see, the concept of intelligence is not defined by how much you know, but rather it’s a general ability to process stuff in a given context.
#4 They Are Living In 2050
Image credits: TheInward07
#5 This Kid On A Longboard Using A Leaf Blower To Go Fast Is Now My Personal Hero
Image credits: prodiG
#6 My 7-Year-Old Son Built This For His Switch Games. I Am Impressed
Image credits: Boozehead77
Processing information promotes learning, understanding, reasoning, and problem-solving, thus affecting everyday behaviors in many ways.
And, sure, you can put intelligence on a scale and measure it, figuratively speaking. But, in virtually all cases, intelligence is a scale that can be tipped for the better, and there’s more ways than one.
#7 29 Rulers Being Held Up By 1. If You Remove Any Of Them Then It All Comes Down
Image credits: YoungTurtle43
#8 Kitty Is In Jail. My Son Put These Cups Around Her, And She Hasn't Moved For 20 Minutes
Image credits: ayarton
#9 Today One Of My 4th Grade Students Renamed Himself "Reconecting" On Our Zoom Call And Pretended That He Was Having Internet Issues To Avoid Participating In Our Lesson
Image credits: reddericks
Intelligence can be affected by both hereditary and environmental factors. For over 80% of people’s brain smarts, hereditary factors take the credit.
However, each generation seems to be scoring higher and higher on IQ tests, which is a win for the environmental factors at play.
#10 Kid Playing Tic-Tac-Toe With Their Mail Carrier
Image credits: Jasonnnp
#11 Very Innovative
Image credits: Cadmarch
#12 I Told My Son To Hang Up His Clothes And He Did This
Image credits: Lisa Harrison
Turns out, genes and the environment are more closely related than some might think. It’s the genes, after all, that do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to processing the environment.
If you take a smart kid, one who was born in an intelligently-stimulating family and was raised in an intelligently-simulated environment, and then put him into a place where education is of poorer quality, you will likely see a drag on their IQ.
#13 My 12-Year-Old Son Modified His Bike With Carpet For Barefoot Riding
Image credits: flaglerite
#14 When You Are A Smart Kid
Image credits: hexa96
#15 Told The Older Ones To Watch The Baby And Don't Let Her Get In Trouble
Image credits: TacoBellionaire
So, it’s a mix of both born with it and raised in it. But you can also live with it and by that I mean train your brain to do brain things better.
For one, eating healthy is a good way of boosting brain power. And all that starts with the womb and continues with breastfeeding.
#16 This DIY Selfie Stick
Image credits: chongas
#17 My Kids Invented A Traffic Light System For Entering My Room When I’m Working. Red Means Do Not Enter, Yellow - Please Knock, And Green Means Come In
Image credits: sharp_writing
#18 I Came Downstairs To Find Out That My Kid Had Made Herself A Movie Theater For Her Phone
Image credits: thingsihaveseen
And once the kid starts transitioning away from breast milk, it’s on to fostering healthy habits by teaching them to like good foods.
This includes everything from fruits and vegetables to whole grains to meat and fish, as well as milk. It goes without saying that portion sizes have to be appropriate so that the kid doesn’t grow overweight. Vitamins are also in order.
#19 It Took Me A Minute To Comprehend That My 5-Year-Old Had Invented A New Hands-Free iPad Technology
Image credits: MerryAntoinette
#20 My Kid Might Be A Genius. Now I Want One
Image credits: MechaStewart
#21 My Daughter Made A Wallet Chain Out Of Can Tabs
Image credits: Formal_Librarian4401
Another way of keeping the brain healthy is by stimulating it. Pique the kid’s interests and curiosity with various activities. Kids up to preschool age who grow up in households with a lot of listening, reading and talking tend to have higher IQs and do better in school. Bonding with a child over playtime is good too as it enhances mental growth and bonding is just good in general between parents and kids.
#22 The Ladder My 4-Year-Old Son Built To Steal The Leftover Halloween Candy
Image credits: luckymethod
#23 Yesterday While My Son Was Helping His Grandfather In The Garden, The Tire Of The Wheelbarrow Literally Exploded. So Today My Son Invented An Airless Tire. It Works
Image credits: rdrimmel
#24 My Son Made Freddy With His Spare Parts And Yes, The Jaw Opens And Closes. I Am Beyond Impressed
Image credits: reddit.com
Sports, music and other activities that demand attention and discipline also stimulate mental development. However, it’s important to note that what parents like doesn’t mean that the kid should do too, so practicing listening is key.
Every kid’s interests and approaches to learning are different, but parents should also be a guiding force in learning how to learn. Things like ambition, courage and conscientiousness shouldn’t be disregarded in those situations.
#25 Cheese Lip Balm
Image credits: valeriehahn
#26 My Little Sister Has The Solution To Those Forever Alone
Image credits: ispeakspanish
#27 This Kid Is Living In 3018
Image credits: reddit.com
In turn, fostering learning and providing them with the tools they need to be able to understand their potential and to make use of their minds to the best of their ability is an important step to take.
In other words, invest yourself into your kid. Because kids left alone at the TV screen won’t do well as they will miss out on active learning and the upside of exchanging ideas.
#28 My Son (4) Apparently Peeled The Label Off Of His Water Bottle, Wrapped It Over His Eyes, And Fell Asleep Like This
Image credits: there-better-be-cake
#29 Saw This Kid Chilling At Costco Today
Image credits: awwyeahgetit
#30 My Little Brother Wearing Gloves On His Feet When Walking In The Woods Because He Left His Shoes Inside
Image credits: adodak43
So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Feel like you gotta step up your game in light of kids coming up with better ideas? Why not start your brain exercises in the comment section.
Or don’t. You can go read about more genius kids in another Bored Panda article then.
#31 I Dislocated My Right Shoulder And This Was My Daughter's Solution To My Morning Coffee
Image credits: trashcantoddler
#32 Some Kid Hid Behind A Bookshelf And Fell Asleep During The Video In My Personal Finance Class
Image credits: reddit.com
#33 My Kid, Changing The Way You Define Lazy
Image credits: 4pointingnorth
#34 A Fort Some Kids Built A Few Years Ago
Image credits: AsprinFrost
#35 This Kid Is A Genius. Someone's Brother Made A Hammock And Has Been Watching TV Like This
Image credits: tom_galland
#36 IQ 10000000
Image credits: Rapid201
#37 My Sister Eating Popcorn In My Closet With Chopsticks So That She Doesn’t Get Greasy Fingers With The Bag Open
Image credits: Beyond-Shaggy
#38 Smart Kid On The Train
Image credits: Mute_Kid
#39 My 8-Year-Old Daughter Created This Hack Today
Image credits: Rycari
#40 My 13-Year-Old Will Do Literally Anything To Avoid Washing Dishes
Image credits: NikNieblas
#41 My Son Wants To Be An Engineer. Told Him To Fix A Broken Fence. This Was His Solution. I Think I Can See What He Was Thinking
Image credits: Saltyash
#42 My Little Brother Is Tweaking
Image credits: cactuvlona
#43 My Daughter Made Her Own Bank Vault. It's More Secure Than The Ones Used In Cyprus
Image credits: MrPennywhistle
#44 Kid In The Plane Used A Pop Socket To Hold His Phone On The Seat In Front Of Him
Image credits: AndreIzCool
