Children need to be aware of the importance of thinking skills in school and everyday life. According to "Scholastic," critical thinking teaches a children how to think, not what to think. When kids improve their critical thinking skills, they are better able to reason, evaluate and anaylze problems and situational conflicts. These skills can also help a child academically, since thinking skills are critical in all subject areas. As a parent or teacher, become involved in actively helping your child improve his thinking ability.
Step 1
Read to and with your child. Read aloud to young children and discuss the book. Talk about the characters, conflicts and setting. Show your child how to make comparisons between the story and her prior experiences, a skill which improves her comprehension. Read a newspaper or a magazine article with an older child and discuss the impact it may have on national or local events.
Step 2
Use questioning techniques when talking to your child. For example, when watching television together, ask him to summarize the show when it's finished or to compare and contrast one show with another. When traveling together, ask your child to estimate the number of miles between your town and the destination. These questions reinforce critical thinking.
Step 3
Play games that reinforce thinking skills. The Internet has many sites with free games that stimulate children's minds. Free Thinking Games and Amby have brain teasers and puzzles, for all age groups and difficulty levels, which keep score and provide feedback on results. You can also play board games like chess and checkers, which will help your child develop strategical thinking skills.
