Helping Your Child Develop their Critical Thinking Skills – Critical thinking is a high-level skill requiring analysis, problem solving and evaluation. It’s a vital skill for parents to work on with their children as it teaches them how to make good decisions and those that are right for them. In this post we share guidance on how you can explore and strengthen your child’s critical thinking.
Critical Thinking Skills – Asking Questions
There’s no such thing as a silly question. In fact, they should be encouraged as questions enable us to expand on our knowledge, confirm the truth and concerns. To help bring out their curious side, pose different questions to your child and prompt them to do the same. The premise of this is to teach children that not everything should be taken at face value and to think rationally.
Critical Thinking Skills – Let Them Make Their Own Decisions
Although your child’s young, there are lots of things that you can invite them to have a say on, like what they want to wear, buy at the shops, or eat for their tea. It creates options for them to think about and weigh up using their critical thinking skills.
Critical Thinking Skills – Research Skills
Research can also help with critical thinking. As well as asking questions, children should be encouraged to find answers out for themselves. There are a number of ways that they can think – by consulting books, the internet and other sources.
Critical Thinking Skills – Creativity
Also, to make good decisions your child will need to be able to think creatively. This will allow them to brainstorm and think of alternatives. There are numerous ways in which you can help them in this area. Puzzles and riddles are excellent. The activities force them to think innovatively and outside of the box.
Critical Thinking Skills – Forward Thinking
To be a critical thinker, it’s important that children have the ability to look ahead and think about the possible consequences of their actions. This will allow them to decipher between their options and choose those that make the most sense. To help them with this, ask questions during play like what might happen if they were to do x, y and z.
These are just a few of the ways that you can explore critical thinking with your child. As well as the skill itself, you should remind them to always follow their gut. If something doesn’t feel right or makes them uncomfortable, they shouldn’t ignore it and go with their instincts.
For more parenting advice and help, please feel free to have a read of my other blogs.
*Collaborative post
About Debz Louise
Debz Louise is a UK-based lifestyle expert and the founder of several lifestyle blogs, including Wannabe Princess and Under 5s. Specializing in everything from interior design and home renovation to body-positive fashion and early years development,