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Adjust and Try Again

Short summary: Problem solving is a loop. You try, learn, adjust, and try again.

Big idea​

Adjusting is not failure — it is the whole point. Each try gives you information you use to improve the next one. Sometimes the best adjustment is asking for help, and sometimes the problem statement itself changes once you know more.

Why it matters​

Kids often think one failed try means "I'm bad at this." But almost nothing good is made on the first try. People who solve problems well are not people who never fail — they are people who keep adjusting.

Kid-friendly explanation​

Think about video games or building with blocks. Version 1 falls over. So you make Version 2 with a wider base. Then Version 3. Each version uses what the last one taught you. "Version 1" is not bad — it is just the first draft.

The loop looks like this:

Try → Observe → Adjust → Try again

Sometimes adjusting means changing your plan. Sometimes it means changing your problem statement, because you learned the real problem was something else.

Tool: Version thinking​

After a try, fill in:

  • "Version 1 taught me ___."
  • "Next, I will change ___."
  • "My Version 2 is ___."

Activity: Version 2​

Take a solution that failed or only partly worked, and design Version 2:

  • A bridge made of paper collapsed.
  • A schedule did not work.
  • A message came out wrong.
  • A budget missed a cost.
  • A search result was confusing.

What does the next version change, and why?

Discussion questions​

  • Why is adjusting a sign of good problem solving, not failure?
  • When has a "Version 2" worked better than a "Version 1" for you?
  • When is the best adjustment to ask for help?
  • How would you know your problem statement needs to change?

Try it this week​

Pick something that did not work the first time. Make a "Version 2" with one change based on what you learned.

Adult note​

Use "version" language out loud. It reframes mistakes as drafts. "That was Version 1 — what should Version 2 do differently?" keeps kids in a loop of improvement instead of a verdict about ability.