critical thinking exercises for children

Critical Thinking Exercises for Children

Critical thinking means to think rationally and practically, instead of being influenced by our emotions. This skill must be developed in children in order to increase their reasoning ability. In this following Buzzle article, we will list out some exercises for the same.

Critical thinking includes thinking logically and developing an ability to ask questions and look for supporting evidence on a particular subject. Thinking critically means finding the best explanation for a particular incidence or situation. It must include the correct evidence for a particular event which will help reduce the apparent confusion. Developing this skill in children through the right exercises is very important and it must be undertaken by the parents at the right age. Importance of Critical Thinking Critical thinking induces the ability to acknowledge a wide range of subjective analysis of a particular fact. This skill evaluates the reason behind a particular fact. It also includes honesty, in the sense that we need not get emotionally biased about a situation. When we get emotionally biased, we try to think about all modes of self-deception. Instead, at such times, we must think with open mindedness. All possible perspectives and viewpoints must be thought of before analyzing a fact, and this develops the ability of problem solving skills in a child. A person must have disciplined thinking and avoid making hasty decisions. Though this is very easy to say, it is quite a difficult thing to implement. These thinking abilities or this mindset is well-developed in childhood. Once you are in adulthood, it is very difficult to mold yourself accordingly. Exercises to Develop Critical Thinking in Children Critical thinking skills are nurtured well at home, and parents are the best teachers for this learning activity. Here are some of the exercises with which you can try and stimulate your child to think critically. Quizzing Your Child Quiz your child about certain things that do not have one correct answer, but those that require a detailed explanation. This will increase his ability to think beyond what is taught in class. Or simply buy him some informative books that run on the common theme of 'Tell Me Why'. The advantage of these books is that they have colored images such that they can be related easily to real life, and your child develops a better understanding of the subjects that are explained in the book. Educate your child about simple information that has to do with nature, like, the different seasons, or the blooming of flowers. You can either ask him questions or just explain these things. You should try to make these exercises for children a fun activity so that they will enjoy it. Recognizing and Classifying Ability For critical thinking, your child must learn to recognize important information that is relevant to the subject. Classification of things based on logic is stressed upon in this ability. Colorful toys or images can be included in teaching critical thinking. Ask your child to identify the names of flowers, fruits, and animals from a colorful chart. Critical thinking exercises are not employed to make your child intelligent, they are about developing the decision-making ability in him/her. These activities go a long way in improving overall child development and help to synthesize intelligible data that can develop his thinking skills. With a supplement of these exercises, children soon develop the ability to think in a particular manner. Even though this thinking ability is cultivated in their early childhood, it is very helpful for a lifetime.

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