Teaching critical thinking doesn’t mean that you have to cynicalize your child or make them think or act like adults. This means that with critical thinking abilities, your child will be able to learn, grow and navigate through life, and will be able to process their experiences and develop their own voice and sense of judgment.
Of course, for a child, these qualities will come in handy for their individual experience – whether in sports and games; academic; or other regular activities such as learning to buy groceries or making new friends. As your child grows, these skills and the ability to critically analyze situations will help your child deal with life’s more complex obstacles.
Now the good thing is that teaching your child the ability to deal with difficult situations by following these practices in their daily routine can actually be taught very easily and even indirectly. Here’s what you have to do:
ask open ended questions
A great way to develop your child’s thinking ability is to help them reach for answers instead of answering their questions directly. That way, your child will not only know the answer to their doubts, but will also know how to reach that answer, with your helpful nudge here and there.
Now they might not even be able to think for themselves or give the wrong answer. Respect their responses with answers like “That’s interesting. Tell me why you think that.”
teach them concepts
Creating “if this… then what” situations with your child can become an interesting game in which you give each other imaginary situations and see how the other person responds. Responses can be hilarious, logical or clever. This can turn out to be a fun exercise that will broaden their mind and use their imagination.
make sure they get time to play
Your child will love this move as play time is the perfect opportunity to hit the ground and improve their thinking skills naturally while having fun and making some nice movements. Real learning comes from experiences and not from sitting and thinking. Make sure your child gets their daily play time and explore the variety of games that come with their own unique fun and skills to learn.
develop the habit of reading
If your child falls in love with story books, they will learn so much that they will develop their mind and their ability to analyze, interpret and understand all kinds of situations and scenarios. The books would provide him with a window into both the real and the imaginary worlds and the idea of characters and personalities. It will develop their IQ and EQ (intelligence quotient and emotional intelligence).
encourage questions
Unleash your child’s curiosity by encouraging them to ask questions and appreciating them whenever they do. If your child asks questions about anything in the sun, it means that he is thinking for himself, which will also enhance his problem solving ability. Use them as an opportunity to learn something new everyday while answering their questions.
give responsibility
Start small and teach your child to be responsible and independent by assigning certain tasks such as folding their blanket after use, carrying their dirty dishes to the sink or putting their clothes in the cupboard. Developing these habits to take responsibility for their own things will make them smarter. You can then give them small tasks involving others, such as taking care of their pets or younger siblings. This will ensure that your child learns and grows better and uses his mind for good, instead of relying on his parents or elders all the time.