The Importance of developing Critical Thinking in children

Education extends beyond the four walls of the classroom. To prepare children to understand and tackle new-age challenges, it is imperative for us, as parents, to help them and prepare them for a dynamic future. As historian and author Yuval Noah Harari mentions in his book "21 Lessons for the 21st Century",

"Many pedagogical experts argue that schools should switch to teaching “the four Cs” – critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. More broadly, schools should downplay technical skills and emphasise general-purpose life skills."

How are we, as parents, helping our kids find the right opportunities to learn and develop their critical thinking skills? Here are some ways in which we can help children develop their critical thinking skills. 

The Right Age To Start

Critical thinking, as is wrongly assumed, isn't something that you wait to work on after it is introduced in schools or something that you will chance to pick up over time. Critical thinking can be taught and developed. Experts say the earlier, the better. Children as young as 5-6 need to get a headstart to leverage these essential skills, says this report by The Hanen Centre.

“As soon as children are able to speak in sentences, they’re ready for you − the parent, caregiver or educator − to nurture the critical thinking skills that will prepare them for success in school. Whether you’re reading a book or taking a walk in the park, any time is a good time to build critical thinking.”

Benefits

1. According to a report by The Foundation for Critical Thinking, critical thinking skills contribute to better decision-making abilities. Children who can analyze situations and consider various perspectives are more likely to make informed and thoughtful choices.

2. Critical thinkers have a natural inclination toward continuous learning. They are curious, open-minded, and motivated to explore new ideas and acquire knowledge throughout their lives.

3. Critical thinking helps children to adapt to new situations and navigate challenges. They can assess changing circumstances, adjust their strategies, and approach problems with flexibility.

4. Teaching kids to think critically helps them trust their own thoughts and stand up for their ideas when talking to others.

How To Help Develop Critical Thinking In Children?

Here are simple things we can do in our everyday lives to instill critical thinking skills in our children.

1. Encourage questions and respond with questions. The more they ask, the more they learn. Questions also tell you that your children are trying to make connections and draw inferences on their own. Encourage them to think and ask questions. Support their questions by asking more questions yourself - don’t jump into answering the questions immediately! This report by the Reboot Foundation explains why it is important for children as young as 5 to 6 years to understand the difference between opinion, argument, and evidence.

2. Engage in creative and new activities with children. Participate and bond with children over the right activities that help develop their 4Cs (Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity). For e.g., solving Sudoku, a Rubik’s Cube, board games, and puzzles help develop these essential skills. Engage in some quality and guilt-free screen time with kids over apps that help foster their social and emotional learning (SEL), which in turn raises the boat with their thinking.

3. Push their thinking. Encourage them to participate in real-world conversations. Children are ready and often times will surprise us with new ways of thinking and presenting their rationale. Talk to them about social topics, news, friendships, and other topics that might prompt more questions and, thereby, more learning!

4. Support the development of their core character. Studies show that critical thinking and character building go hand in hand. The ability to persevere, push oneself out of their comfort zone, and a growth mindset to learn from failures and keep moving forward really help with their thinking. New solutions and creative problem-solving originate when a child demonstrates a growth mindset.

   In addition to the above steps, we also loved a couple of books that help develop the sense of critical thinking in children- the ones that make them ask the whys and hows. Let us know which ones you have read with your kids and save this list.

   1. What To Do With A Box by Jane Yolen

   2. The Thingamabob by II Sung Na

   3. Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty

   4. The Why-Why Girl by Mahasweta Devi

   5. What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada

And that’s not all! As a parent, if you believe in “good tech” and guilt-free screen time, check out our FREE App- Yeti, my friend, that helps brings real-world topics to your children through interactive stories set in a playful and mindful learning environment to build certain foundational skills to thrive in an ever-evolving world.