<p> THE NEWSPAPER PROBLEM</p><p>Aim: This is a problem solving task that is fun, promotes cooperation and causes a certain amount of frustration until the problem is solved. The task illustrates how easily we get locked into certain directions of thinking.</p><p>Equipment: An old newspaper</p><p>Time: About 10 minutes</p><p>Level: 10 years old upwards </p><p>Method: </p><p>Divide the participants into groups of 4. </p><p>Tear out a page of newspaper for each group and place it on the floor in front of the group. Tell them that there are three rules in this exercise: All participants must be in contact with the paper and none of them must be in contact with the floor. They are not allowed to use tables chairs, rugs or any other furniture. </p><p>They will probably go and stand on the sheet of newspaper, clinging on to each other. That's OK, but then you halve the newspaper so that they can manage just about to stand with one foot each on the paper. Remind them of the rules. They will probably still try to stand on the paper, and will probably manage it. </p><p>Halve the paper again, and remind them of the rules. They may begin to get a bit frustrated. Don't let them give up. Tear the paper so that they only have a little tiny bit left, and suggest that they think out a new strategy. </p><p>Repeat the instructions often enough, and normally they will arrive at the solution themselves: each of them holds onto the tiny piece of paper, while they all jump together. </p><p>When they have solved the problem tell them that this exercise shows how often our thoughts get stuck on the same track. In this case, by placing the paper on the floor, even though you said nothing, the participants were led to think only of standing on the paper. </p><p>Tell them that the rest of the day they will be expected to think in broader terms, but say it with a smile! </p><p>This exercise comes from Save the Children Norway. </p>