Encouraging Critical Thinking Skills

The ability to think critically, problem solve, strategize, and overcome challenges is important at every age. Students are just starting to build these foundational skills and must be given opportunities to practice and develop different ways of approaching situations. Critical thinking is not something that is exclusively taught in school. It is something that parents can cultivate and nurture at home too.

Dig Deeper and Ask for Explanations

Go beyond vague, surface level answers. Ask your child to explain their thinking. Why did they do something a certain way? How did they get from one step to the next? How did they reach a specific answer or conclusion?

You can also ask them to explain to you how to do something. Instead of “just knowing” how to do something, they have to slow down and think about the process of how they did it. This also helps to reinforce their own understanding.

Embrace the Gray

Not everything in life is black and white. There is often more than one way to solve a problem or reach a conclusion. Start asking, “what if?” What if they did X instead of Y? What if they started this way instead of that way? What if the character had made a different decision?

Encourage your child to see things from more than one perspective. Challenge them to solve problems by taking a different approach. How many different strategies can they come up with? Do they all lead to the same answer, or could the answer vary?

Play Games

Have fun while practicing critical thinking skills! Make time to play games together that involve strategy, logic, and problem solving.

• Teach your child to play chess, battleship, four in a row, or Dungeons and Dragons.
• Put together jigsaw puzzles or fill in Sudoku puzzles.
• Challenge them to build a container to drop an egg without breaking it or create the tallest tower they can with just uncooked spaghetti and mini marshmallows.
• Visit an escape room and see if you can get out before time is up.

Let Them Try

Before you jump in and solve a problem for them, let them try on their own. Give them time to think and consider their options. Guide them in working through different scenarios and deciding what to do next. Perhaps they will make the best choice, or maybe it will be a learning moment. Have them reflect on what went well and what they could do differently next time.

You can also be a positive role model by explaining your own thinking and decisions. Let your child see how you work through problems or make choices. If it is a decision that affects the whole family, make them part of the process so they can give input and see things through from beginning to end.

Keep Practicing

Critical thinking is a skill that takes time to develop. Keep giving your child opportunities to grow and learn. Contact Crafting Scholars to learn more about how we can help foster critical thinking skills that your child can use to boost their academic performance.

Originally published at https://craftingscholars.com on September 27, 2023.