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Parent Resources for Learning > How It Begins > 6 Simple Ways to Support Critical Thinking for Ages 2-6 and Up

6 Simple Ways to Support Critical Thinking for Ages 2-6 and Up

by Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos | Aug 4, 2023 | How It Begins

As parents, we have a LOT to keep in mind to give our kids the best possible start. So it’s nice to come across a skill set that offers a lot of bang for our buck. When it comes to developing skills that have an outsized impact on a child’s life, critical thinking is a great place to start. 

The Short Cut

• Critical thinking is the use of logic, reasoning, and executive functioning skills to analyze information and make sound decisions throughout life
• The ability to think critically matters a lot—it’s linked to better grades, finishing schoolwork, positive job performance, and overall academic success
• Caregivers can do a lot to encourage critical thinking, from family game nights and library visits to asking open-ended questions
• Developing the 5 C’s doesn’t need to be complicated. You can make a big difference in only  15 minutes a day !

It turns out that critical thinking is actually more predictive of some pretty important positive life outcomes than raw intelligence, not to mention it’s a set of skills that are predicted to become increasingly important to CEOs and other employers in the future. 

Given the relative importance of critical thinking, let’s dive into what it is and how we as parents can foster these skills from an early age.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking covers an expansive range of processing and problem-solving skills. In terms of processing, it includes the abilities needed to regulate our behaviors and accomplish goals. You may sometimes hear those skills referred to as executive functions. They include:

• Working memory (our ability to hold small amounts of information in mind for a short period of time while we work on it in some way, such as recalling a telephone number long enough to dial it)
• Flexible thinking (our ability to focus on one thing at a time, switch to new tasks, and avoid distractions)
• Self-control (our ability to control our behaviors, follow rules, and understand consequences)

If that sounds like a set of skills your child needs, you’re right! Many important childhood tasks (like listening in school or helping with chores at home) rely on executive functioning.

In terms of problem-solving skills, critical thinking includes things like logic and reasoning, our ability to consider multiple perspectives and adapt to new ways of thinking (including computational thinking and coding), and to make decisions based on evidence rather than bias.

Combine all those skills, and you can see that critical thinking is a pretty big deal! There are many good reasons to focus on this important “C.”

The Impacts of Critical Thinking in School and Life

Critical thinking has been linked to very important outcomes in school, life, and the work world, including better grades, higher likelihood of completing schoolwork, positive job performance in the workplace, and overall academic success. In adults, strong critical thinking has even been correlated with less credit card debt.

That’s a lot for one skill set! According to a study by Duke Learning and Organization Development, critical thinking is one of the most in-demand skills in the workplace, and yet nearly half of all employers indicated that their employees are falling short in it, with a LOT of room to improve.

Given how important critical thinking is, it’s reassuring to know that there’s a lot we as caregivers can do to support it in our kids (and that many of those things are fun!), even if we didn’t necessarily receive the same type of critical thinking support growing up. 

Simple Ways to Support Critical Thinking

1. Model Asking Open-Ended Questions. Demonstrating that you as a grown-up are still curious about the world and asking open-ended questions is a great way to show your kids that processing information and making sense of the world around them is a lifelong endeavor.

2. Demonstrate Multiple Perspectives . This one can be tricky, as many of us have strong opinions about the world, but strive to expose your child to multiple perspectives on a wide range of topics so that they open their minds to new ideas, begin to sort through information, get comfortable asking questions, and learn that sometimes things are not black and white.

3. Practice Active Listening . Critical thinking includes having an open mind, so encourage listening without judgment. Active listening might include making eye contact, leaning forward, ensuring you’re not distracted by something else, asking clarifying questions, and having “calm hands and bodies.”

4. Go to the Library . Ask your local librarian to teach you and your child how to search for information using multiple sources, and what to look for when identifying trustworthy, credible sources versus less credible sources. Sometimes it helps for children to hear things from someone other than their parents (it sure does with mine!). 

5. Flex Those Executive Functioning Skills. Family board game nights are a GREAT way to foster many executive functioning skills (like following rules, using working memory, and staying focused). Additionally, you can make a game out of rehearsing and remembering lists of words or objects to strengthen working memory.

6. Learn to Code . Coding might sound too advanced for younger children, but even preschoolers can learn the basics behind many coding and computational thinking skills, like breaking a complex task down into a series of simple actions (sequencing). There are even some programs, like our award-winning codeSpark app , specifically designed for preschoolers and children in early elementary school.

Critical Thinking across Developmental Stages

Depending on your child’s age and unique developmental trajectory, critical thinking might look a little different for them than for someone else. Below are some checklists you can use to consider what aspects of critical thinking you might be observing in your child. 

Remember, every child develops differently, so you may see things that aren’t on these lists, or that are on the list under a different age from your child’s. That’s almost certainly OK, especially given that critical thinking consists of many skills that aren’t necessarily linear. 

Also, these lists are not exhaustive—there are many other skills within critical thinking that you’re likely encountering at each age and stage. But this should give you a sense of what’s developmentally typical and why various skills matter.

2-Year-Old Checklist

Can group like items or objects by a category (e.g., all the blue things, all the cars, all the things that are food)

• This demonstrates an awareness that things can relate to each other and that your child can recognize specific features such as color and function; this a precursor to being able to identify patterns and understand or invent rules for how the world works.

Points to things in a book when you ask questions like “Where is the puppy?”

• Your child is demonstrating receptive language development, meaning he’s learning the names and labels for things, and he can attend to what you’re asking without getting distracted by other images; both skills are important parts of critical thinking.

Can recall a simple request or command several minutes after it’s been given (e.g., can remember that you asked them to go pick up their toy in their room by the time they walk to their room)

• Holding information in working memory long enough to take action on that information is a critical part of our executive functioning skills.

Understands simple or common rules, such as sitting at the dinner table or being buckled up in the car

• This shows your child can understand, remember, and follow rules—an important aspect of executive functioning skills.

3-Year-Old Checklist

Can group like items or objects by more than one category (e.g., all the blue things that are also cars but not trucks)

• This demonstrates that your child knows things can relate to each other and can recognize specific features such as color and function; this a precursor to being able to identify patterns and understand or invent rules for how the world works.
• Your child is demonstrating receptive language development, meaning he’s learning the names and labels for things, and he can attend to what you’re asking without getting distracted by other images. Both language and executive function skills are important parts of critical thinking.

Can recall and follow two-step instructions (e.g., “Pick up your towel and put it in the laundry bin”)

• Holding multiple pieces of information in working memory long enough to take action on that information is a critical part of our executive functioning skills.

Can follow simple rules in collaborative or competitive games

• Understanding, remembering, and following rules is an important aspect of executive functioning skills.

4-Year-Old Checklist

Knows the name and purpose behind a couple different types of media (e.g., books for reading, radio in the car for music or news, streaming for music) 

• Recognizing that different devices and platforms serve up different types of content is the new precursor for understanding various forms of news and information.

Can recall and follow two- and three-step instructions (e.g., “Pick up your towel, put it in the laundry bin, and then bring me your socks”)

Recognizes that different people have different opinions and knowledge areas (e.g., a teacher is a trustworthy source of knowledge; a grandparent knows a lot about family history; a mail delivery person knows a lot about mail)

• Knowing that different people know different things AND that some people are likely more trustworthy than others is an important precursor for being able to critically evaluate information and sources.

Can answer simple function questions, such as “What are shoes for?” or “What is a pencil for?” 

• Understanding and being able to articulate the function and purpose of something is an important aspect of knowing how things work.

Knows what comes next in a story she’s heard before 

• When your child can tell you how a story ends or what part comes next, she’s revealing an ability to remember important details over a period of time (and an awareness that some things, like a favorite bedtime story, are stable and don’t change).

5-Year-Old Checklist

Can point to the names of the author and illustrator of a book (and tell you the difference between those two roles)

• A foundational aspect of thinking critically about information is knowing who wrote (or illustrated) the work, and how those roles differ and/or complement each other.

Answers comprehension questions after having read a story (or having it read to them), such as questions about what the main lesson of the story was, how the main character may have felt at a specific point in the story, or why the story ended the way it did

• These types of questions require a child to not just hear or read a story, but to think about what the words mean together and identify big themes and lessons.

Can recall and follow multi-step instructions (e.g., “Put away your book, then grab your blue crayon and bring it to the bin by the window”)

6-Year-Old and Up Checklist

By age 6, many children will be able to follow multi-step instructions without forgetting what they’re supposed to be doing or getting distracted along the way. That’s not to say distractions won’t happen (even I can get pulled into something else on my way to the laundry room, completely forgetting about the laundry until the next day)—but they’re less likely than in younger children. 

This age range is also starting to pick up the nuances of differing opinions on topics within a family. Which sports team is the best, where the family should go on vacation, even some elements of politics—if your family is discussing these things, your child will likely be realizing that not all people share the same ideas.

This is not a bad thing! It’s important for your child to learn that the existence of multiple perspectives on a topic is normal, and that positive, uplifting dialogue about those differences, where various perspectives are respected, can be an enriching environment.

You can support critical thinking as your child navigates this stage by utilizing some of the tips listed above, such as asking open-ended questions, modeling how to be an active listener, and going to the library to do research with your child. Your child will also likely be forming their own opinions at this stage, which is exciting to see. 

Supporting Critical Thinking with Begin

Critical thinking is a very important “C” —not just for your child’s short-term development, but for their entire lifespan. The critical thinking skills they learn now will help them achieve the lifelong health and happiness you want for them.

At Begin, we know this, and we include critical thinking activities in almost all of our products—whether it’s solving puzzles in codeSpark , playing memory games in HOMER , building hands-on projects at home with Little Passports , or something else. Check out our comprehensive learning membership to see how some of our products come together to give your child their best start to achieving their fullest potential.

There are many things you can do to support and reinforce your child’s critical thinking skills. It’s truly a lifelong process of growth and development, and we’re here to help!

Jody has a Ph.D. in Developmental Science and more than a decade of experience in the children’s media and early learning space.

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Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos

Chief Learning Officer at Begin

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The Importance of Critical Thinking for Kids: Why It Matters for Academic and Real-World Success

• September 14, 2023

It may become tiring when your students continuously ask “why?” throughout the school day, but that simple question is one of the first signs of critical thinking for kids.

American philosopher, psychologist, and educator John Dewey referred to this concept as “reflective thinking.” Dewey defined critical thinking as persistent, active, and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge. It requires actively subjecting ideas to review and challenging what you’re told, rather than passively accepting them as truth.

With this thought process being a major part of your students’ brain and cognitive development , it’s important to help nurture it in the classroom with critical thinking activities for kids, so they have the chance to use logic and self-control to solve problems and explore their own creative points of view.

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) provides a collection of courses for early childhood educators seeking more guidance and training on how to promote critical thinking in the classroom. We realize that these skills will not only lead to lifelong academic achievement but they also help your students understand how to excel in the real world.

As we consider the importance of critical thinking for kids, we must first denote the foundational skills needed for critical thinking, then consider ways this thinking positively impacts problem-solving and supports academic success. We’ll also share some suggestions for fun projects that connect creativity to nurturing young minds that think critically.

Bloom’s Taxonomy: Levels of Critical Thinking

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a core part of the curricula we use to teach early childhood educators about critical thinking.  It’s also a vital tool teachers use in their day-to-day interactions with children. Bloom’s Taxonomy is laid out as a pyramid, with foundational skills at the bottom and more advanced skills higher up. The lowest phase, “Remember,” doesn’t require a great amount of critical thinking. These signify skills kids use when they memorize things like the alphabet, math facts, sight words, etc. Critical thinking starts to take off in the next steps of the pyramid

Understand – Understanding goes beyond memorization. It’s the difference between a child repeating the rote concept of “2+2 is four” or learning the days of the week versus understanding that when you add 2+2 it’s the same as multiplying those same numbers. Or a child understanding Saturday is the day after Friday and so on. Pure memorization has its place. Still, when a student understands the concept behind something, they’re able to apply what they’ve learned.

Apply – Application widens the world of knowledge and reasoning for young minds. Once they recognize the concept they’ve mastered can apply to other examples, you’ve helped them expand their learning greatly.  Math and science are where this level of critical thinking can easily be recognized, but its present in all subjects. Take sight words, for instance. Students originally memorize these words to help them read. However, once kids learn the phonics of words, they can apply that to tackle new words.

Analyze – Analysis springs your students into the next phase. Analyzing is where that incessant question of why stems because at this point they’re no longer taking things at face value. Analysis leads to students finding their own facts that stand up to inquiry, even when the facts don’t support what they thought. In the instance of your student beginning to question their belief that babies come from storks. Analyzing requires exploring, asking you questions, comparing and contrasting, research, and several other concepts to find the facts. Though they previously let their favorite fairy tales guide them, they now have to determine the best primary sources for information about babies’ birth like their teachers, parents, videos, and reading. Adults who find success in life have to use this skill set daily, and critical thinking for kids at this phase also becomes a routine.

Evaluate – Nearing the top of Bloom’s pyramid is evaluation skills, which provide the opportunity for kids to synthesize all the information they’ve learned, understood, applied, and analyzed, and to use it to support their opinions and decisions. The student has taken in all the information about babies, so now they have to remove their bias to make a choice on whether babies come from their mom or a stork. Evaluation moves beyond their beliefs that were supported without the proper elements of critical thinking.

Create – In the final phase, students use every one of those previous skills to create something new. For example, many kids in this age range create and express themselves through art. By starting with understanding and progressing to evaluating, they uncover how to apply the knowledge of how to mix primary colors (blue, red, etc.) to make other hues like purple, brown, etc. Beyond that, they can take their paints and easel to make a portrait that highlights the mixture of colors.

Why critical thinking for kids matters

Students making their way through each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy will think independently and understand concepts thoroughly. Students who know how to analyze and critique ideas are able to connect those skills to several subject matters  to make connections in various disciplines, see knowledge as useful and apply that and comprehend content on a deeper, more lasting level, according to the book “Critical Thinking Development: A Stage Theory.”  With that deeper understanding, your students will not always rely on you and their class time for guidance. Instead, they will seek out information and become self-directed learners in their daily lives.

At such a young age, it may seem difficult to promote critical thinking in the classroom, since it’s more of a habit that falls onto the individual student. However, early childhood educators are best suited to introduce critical thinking to little learners. In a 2018 Reboot Foundation survey, 20 percent of respondents said that critical thinking skills are best developed in early childhood, children ages 5 and younger.

At all ages, there’s an undeniable impact from providing lessons that nurture critical thinking in kids. For academic purposes, your students will be more ready to problem-solve and evaluate the lessons they learn in class. For their own benefit, forming their personal opinions based on deep critical thinking will allow them to find their own interests. When students are truly passionate about a topic or pursuit, they are more engaged and willing to experiment. The process of expanding their knowledge brings about a lot of opportunities for critical thinking. You have the chance to encourage this action and witness the benefits of the child investing in their niche interest in insects, performing arts, space, and more.

How to make critical thinking for kids fun

Critical thinking is all about sparking and responding to curiosity. There are a number of critical thinking activities for kids that have been proven helpful for early childhood educators.

Below, you’ll find a few fun ideas for your classroom:

Journal Time

Journaling may seem like a simple task but offers a daily or weekly opportunity to get your students in an imaginative mindset. You can incorporate just five minutes of instruction time each day to ask kids an open-ended question they can respond to using written words, a drawing, etc. For example, “What did you like about the experiment we did today?” or “What’s your favorite day of the week, and why?”

The kids may use words and pictures, depending on their level of writing skills, to answer the questions.

Lego-theme Party

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a student that won’t quickly say yes to a Lego party. This party is an opportunity for each student to use their imagination to create their own scene or theme based on one-word prompts. Just ask your students to create a farm, a store, the school, etc. using Legos.

The Lego creations allow them to use their imagination to create various themes, but they may have questions about what to include. You can give them helpful hints (like mentioning animals on a farm), but make sure your students are responsible for the final outcome. After everyone’s done, you can see how each student applied their critical thinking with very little guidance.

Make Your Own Menu

This food-themed critical thinking activity is sure to be a treat.

Gather artificial food items and sit them in front of the class. For this activity, ask each student to pick which foods they want for their personal menu. The students might ask how to spell the names of items or ingredients, but they’ll be fully in charge of what concoctions they create.

At the end, each student can present their menu and explain why they chose their food items. Not only will the students have a better handle on critical thinking, but they’ll also learn their classmates’ favorite foods.

These critical thinking activities for kids give your students the opportunity to question, analyze and evaluate in creative ways on topics that relate to them. Though critical thinking is a nuanced lesson, CCEI has designed courses that can help teachers inspire and guide students toward long-term academic success, such as Critical Thinking Skills in the Preschool Environment .

Click here to learn more about how to promote critical thinking in the classroom and discover our entire catalog of more than 200+ online courses that cover an array of trainings.

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36 Fun Critical Thinking Games and Activities for Kids (Printable)

Critical Thinking Games & Activities for Kids: Critical thinking skills are widely recognized as essential to equip children for learning, in and outside the classroom, and for modern life. In this post, we will explore what critical thinking means, why it is so important, and how to help build these skills in children with 36 fun critical thinking activities. You will also be able to download a free worksheet with some of the activities mentioned in the post.

Table of Contents

• What is critical thinking?
• Why are critical thinking skills important?
• How can we help build the skills and mindset for critical thinking?
• 36 Fun critical thinking activities for kids
• Critical thinking worksheets download

What is Critical Thinking?

We all know more or less what critical thinking is. So it may surprise you to know that there is no one standard, agreed definition. US philosopher and educator John Dewey first developed the concept in the early 20th century, although he more commonly used the term “reflective thinking”, defined as:

“Active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends.”

The  Reboot Foundation  provides a simpler, more contemporary definition: 

“We define critical thinking broadly, and we believe it is a type of reflective thought that requires reasoning, logic, and analysis to make choices and understand problems.” 

Most experts agree that there are two dimensions to critical thinking:

• Skills, or abilities which can be taught ( such as  analysis, inference, evaluation, self-regulation).
• Dispositions, or attitudes, which can be developed ( such as  being open-minded, fair-minded, suspending judgement, inquisitiveness).

Skills can be more straightforward to teach, and to measure, than dispositions. But critical thinking skills and dispositions are mutually reinforcing, and should be built together. 

One way to explain how critical thinking differs from simply acquiring knowledge is through “Bloom’s Taxonomy”, developed in 1956, and revised to the version below in 2001. The Taxonomy separates out simple memorization of facts, at the base of the pyramid, from the tasks which require progressively more reasoning and reflection: understanding, applying and analyzing knowledge, critically evaluating it and, ultimately, creating new, original work.

Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved 22 October 2024 from  https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/  Used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Why are Critical Thinking Skills Important?

Dewey’s work on critical thinking helped to transform education, from a system built around rote-learning, memorization and repetition of learned facts, to a system which values students’ ability to think for themselves.

Now, critical thinking skills provide an essential basis for future learning. But critical thinking is important for so much more, beyond the classroom. 

Long before the internet or social media, critical thinking was seen as important for the health of democracy.

Now it is recognized as a “ 21 st  century skill ” – the set of abilities and knowledge that are essential for individuals to thrive in the modern world.

When we think about children growing into teenagers, and encountering the tsunami of information, misinformation and disinformation directed to them through social media, equipping our children to grow up as critical thinkers is an essential life skill.

How Can we Help Build the Skills and Mindset for Critical Thinking?

The abilities and attitudes necessary for critical thinking  begin to develop early . By as early as age 3, children understand that people sometimes communicate inaccurate information, and that some individuals are more reliable sources than others.

And the critical thinking journey never really stops: it is part of early childhood education, throughout the school years, life outside the classroom, and at the university level, where critical thinking can be essential to success.

We have seen that critical thinking is about both skills and mindset. The best way to support critical thinking is to work on both acquiring the skills necessary for critical thinking (e.g. analysis, inference, evaluation, self-regulation), and encouraging the attitudes needed to think critically (e.g. being open minded, fair minded, and curious).

This can be practiced in the learning of subject matter across all subjects, and beyond the classroom, in day to day life. The more that children ask “why?”, the more opportunities there are to support them in their critical thinking journey.

36 Fun Critical Thinking Games and Activities for Kids

Now that we have reflected on what critical thinking is and why it is so important for cognitive development, let’s jump in and start practicing a whole set of engaging and fun activities to help children strengthen these skills and develop a critical thinking mindset.

These activities can be used as building blocks and inspiration, in the classroom and at home. They can be woven in to wider learning, or used as creative ideas to have family conversations at the dinner table.

Fun Simple Critical Thinking Activities for Kids

1. Sorting Objects

Strengthen logical reasoning by encouraging kids to classify items based on attributes like size, color, or shape, helping them identify patterns and make connections.

For example,  ask children to sort a group of buttons of different colors, sizes, and shapes, and then explain the reasoning behind their sorting criteria.

2. Count and Analyze Patterns

Use colored beads to create sequences (e.g., red, blue, red, blue) and ask children to predict what comes next, or to create their own repeating patterns.

3. Find the Odd One Out

Present a group of objects like a banana, an apple, a car, and ask children to identify which one is the odd one out and explain why.

4. Who Am I?

A child thinks of an object, and the others ask yes/no questions to figure it out, such as “Is it something you find outside?” or “Can you eat it?”

5. “What If?” Questions

This type of game encourages curiosity and deeper thinking by exploring open-ended questions, much like the Socratic method, encouraging students to reason and arrive at their own conclusions.

Ask children questions such as:

• What if animals could talk?  How would that change our relationship with them?
• What if there were no rules?  What do you think society would look like?
• What if everyone had the same job?  How would our world look?

6. Story-building with Critical Questions

• Example : Build a short story with a problem, like “The dog is lost,” and ask children to discuss the cause, what steps can be taken to find the dog, and the potential outcomes.

7. Problem-Solving Storybooks

You can use your usual classroom activities and turn them into problem-solving activities. For example, if you’re reading a book like  The Three Little Pigs , you can pause to ask, “What would have happened if the pigs had built their house differently?” This encourages kids to analyze decisions in the plot and think critically about alternative outcomes.

8. Reviewing Evidence (Detective Games)

Create a detective game where children review evidence (footprints, letters) to figure out “who ate the cookies” or another mystery, requiring logical deduction.

Critical Thinking Games & Brain-Teasers

9. Memory Card Games / Matching Card Games

Memory card games are classic games in which children flip over cards to find matching pairs.

Although memory games are more clearly associated with memory skills, they can also support critical thinking by encouraging attention to detail, pattern recognition, and strategic recall of card locations to match pairs efficiently.

For example, instead of flipping cards randomly, kids could start by lifting cards from left to right in each row. This structured approach can help them remember the sequence and location of cards, making it easier to spot matches when a similar card appears later. By developing this strategy, they’re not only improving their memory but also practicing critical thinking through planning and pattern recognition.

10. Scavenger Hunts

To turn a scavenger hunt into a critical thinking activity, add clues that require kids to solve puzzles, interpret riddles, or make inferences to find each item.

For example, instead of simply listing an umbrella, provide clues like “I’m something that keeps you dry in the rain, and you hold me above your head”. You could also add challenges where kids must categorize the items they find by characteristics (like color or texture) or answer questions about why each item might be useful in different situations.

This approach encourages problem-solving, inference, and categorization skills throughout the hunt.

11. Mystery Bag Game

A Mystery Bag game encourages kids to use their senses and deduction skills to identify hidden objects. Place various items in a bag and allow kids to feel each one without looking, prompting them to guess what it is based on texture, shape, or weight. They can ask yes-or-no questions to narrow down possibilities (e.g., “Is it soft?”, “Is it something I can eat? or “Is it something we use every day?”).This activity fosters critical thinking by requiring kids to analyze clues, make inferences, and refine their guesses, enhancing their problem-solving abilities.

12. Puzzle Solving

Puzzles can boost logical thinking and problem-solving skills by encouraging kids to find solutions through trial, error, and reasoning.

13. Sudoku (Simple)

Sudoku is another great puzzle game that promotes logic, pattern recognition, and problem-solving for children of all ages.

The game can be tailored to various skill levels, making it suitable for all ages: the easiest grids start with a 4×4 layout, perfect for younger kids who are just beginning to explore logical reasoning.

For a fun twist, you don’t even need to use numbers! Simple shapes or colors can replace numbers to create a kid-friendly version, allowing younger children to solve puzzles with familiar objects while developing their reasoning skills.

I’ve included a fun, simple Sudoku activity in your download at the end of this post that younger kids will love.

14. Mystery Number Games

Give a series of clues, like “I’m thinking of a number between 1 and 10, and it’s not even,” and have children ask questions to deduce the number.

15. Logic Riddles or Brain Teasers

Riddles and Puzzles are a fun way to present a mental challenge to kids.   They are widely available in puzzle books and logic activity books for children.

Examples of riddles:

• “What has keys but can’t open locks?” and have children reason out the answer by thinking about the word “piano.”
• “I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?” (this one is echo, in case you didn’t guess it)

16. Lateral Thinking Puzzles . 

Lateral thinking puzzles are puzzles designed to challenge traditional thinking patterns by encouraging creative, outside-the-box solutions. Instead of straightforward logic, these puzzles require unconventional reasoning and unique perspectives, pushing kids to think beyond obvious answers.

For example, a lateral thinking puzzle might present a scenario where only by reinterpreting or reframing details can the solution be found, such as:

• “A man walks into a town on Friday, stays for three days, and leaves on Friday. How is this possible?”(Answer: The man’s horse is named Friday.)

17. Logic Grid Puzzles

Logic grid puzzles are brain-teasers that involve filling in a grid based on a set of clues to determine relationships between different categories or items.

For instance, you might have a puzzle about three friends, each with a different pet, favorite color, and favorite food. Using the clues provided (e.g., “The person with the cat doesn’t like pizza”), you can eliminate possibilities and make connections until all categories align correctly.

These puzzles develop critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills, as solvers must analyze the clues, make inferences, and systematically rule out options to find the solution.

Your free Critical Thinking Worksheets download, at the end of this post, also includes an example of a logic grid puzzle.

18. Maze Challenges

Provide a printed maze and ask children to solve it by choosing the correct path, discussing their strategy for avoiding dead ends and reaching the goal.

Our next two activities are classic strategy games that promote strategic planning and evaluation:

Chess is a timeless game of strategy, widely available both digitally and physically in educational formats. Set up a chessboard and teach children the basic moves, then have them play a game where they practice planning several moves ahead, anticipating their opponent’s strategy. 

20. Checkers

Checkers is another, simpler strategy board game. Play a simple game of checkers with a child, encouraging them to think one or two moves ahead to capture pieces and block their opponent.

21. Role-Playing Games 

Role-playing games (RPGs) are games where players assume the roles of specific characters, often in a fictional or fantastical setting, and make decisions that shape the story or world around them. In RPGs, players use imagination and creativity to develop characters with unique abilities, personalities, and goals, often collaborating to solve challenges or quests.

There are different types of RPGs, such as:

• Tabletop RPGs  (e.g.,  Dungeons & Dragons ), where players narrate actions and decisions guided by a game master.
• Live-action RPGs (LARPs) , where players physically act out their characters’ actions.
• Video Game RPGs  (e.g.,  Final Fantasy , – although note that while previous editions have been mostly young teen-friendly, some editions are rated M / R13. For fully kid-friendly video RPGs, you check out  Starport or Kids on Bikes.

RPGs, like tabletop and video game formats, can be safe and valuable for teaching critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity, with a few guidelines:

• Age-Appropriate Content : Choose RPGs with themes and language suitable for the classroom.
• Screen Time : Balance video game use with other activities to avoid excessive exposure.
• Safety in Live-Action : For LARPs, set clear boundaries to ensure a safe environment.
• Classroom-Friendly RPGs :  No Thank You, Evil!  and  Rory’s Story Cubes  promote storytelling and problem-solving.
• Educational RPGs :  Classcraft  uses RPG quests to support learning goals and teamwork.
• Simple Role-Playing Activities : Use history or science scenarios to bring content to life through role-play.

22. Escape Rooms

Participating in a  escape room  activity is an excellent way for older students to practice critical thinking skills.  Participants are locked inside a themed room and must work together to solve puzzles, find clues, and accomplish tasks within a given time limit in order to “escape” from the room. Escape rooms are great team-building games and promote critical thinking through:

• Problem-Solving : Players must analyze clues, recognize patterns, and piece together information to advance.
• Logical Reasoning : Each puzzle builds on the next, requiring logical deduction to understand how clues relate.
• Analytical Skills : Players break down complex information, assess details carefully, and synthesize clues to solve each step
• Teamwork : Players need to communicate effectively, share ideas, and build on each other’s strengths to solve complex problems together.
• Time Management : The time constraint encourages quick thinking and prioritizing.

Let’s also explore some educational games and activities!

Critical Thinking Activities for the Classroom

23. Improvised Building Activity (STEM – Science Activity )

Provide children with a box of mixed-up items like straws, paper clips, and rubber bands, and ask them to build a structure that can hold a small toy car, encouraging problem-solving.

24. Guess the Cause and Effect / Scientific Inquiry Activities

Engage kids to explore relationships by predicting outcomes, testing hypotheses, and observing results, strengthening their understanding of cause and effect through hands-on discovery.

Some cause-effect activity examples:

• Sink or Float : Have kids predict whether various objects (like a coin, sponge, or apple) will sink or float, then test each item in water and observe the outcomes.
• Plant Growth Experiment 1 : Plant seeds in different conditions (sunlight vs. darkness or water vs. no water) and have kids guess which plants will grow best, tracking progress over time.
• Plant Growth Experiment 2:  Show kids a plant that’s wilting and ask, “What do you think is happening here?” Let them suggest reasons like “It needs water” or “It’s too sunny,” and then test their hypothesis.
• Ball Drop Test : Ask kids to predict which will bounce the highest, a tennis ball, basketball, or a bouncy ball. Then perform the experiment by dropping them from the same height, to see if their predictions were correct.

25. Simple Coding (Logic-Based)

Use a coding game like “Scratch Jr.” to have children sequence blocks to make a character move in a specific direction, reinforcing the concept of logic and order. Some examples of other coding apps for kids are Scratch, Code.org, or Tynker.

26. Facts vs. Opinion (Worksheet)

Fact vs. Opinion activities help kids learn to tell the difference between objective truths and personal viewpoints, which is essential for critical thinking. By distinguishing facts—things that can be proven true—from opinions, which reflect personal feelings or beliefs, kids become better at evaluating information.

These activities teach them to look for evidence, question sources and understand that not everything they hear or read is a fact, which is a valuable skill in everyday decision-making and understanding of the world around them.

You can download a simple Facts vs Opinion activity to add to your critical thinking classroom games at the end of this article.

27. Observation Journals

Observation Journals  are a great critical thinking exercise, encouraging kids to record daily observations and reflect on details in their surroundings. This practice sharpens mindfulness, enhances analytical skills, and prompts kids to notice patterns, make connections, and express unique perspectives.

Observation journals can include prompts like, “What did you notice on your way to school?” or “Describe something interesting you saw today.”

This versatile activity can be used for nature walks, scientific observations, or even social settings, making it a fun and educational habit.

28. Simple Flowcharts

Simple Flowcharts  are an excellent tool for helping kids visualize steps in a process, enhancing their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Creating flowcharts teaches them to break down tasks into manageable parts, understand sequences, make logical connections between actions, and practice decision-making. This exercise can be used for anything from illustrating everyday life routines to mapping out decision-making steps.

This is an example of what a flow chart for “deciding what to do after school” could look like:

• If  Yes  → Go to Step 2
• If  No  → Start Homework
• If  Yes  → Go to Step 3
• If  No  → Complete Chores
• If  Yes  → Go Outside
• If  No  → Go to Step 4
• If  Read  → Read Book
• If  Game  → Play Game

29. Problem Solving Activities

Give kids a problem (for example, “How do I fix this broken toy”, and    ask them to evaluate different possible solutions, such as glue, tape, or replacing parts.)

Guide them through the problem-solving process:

• Identifying the problem (what has happened?)
• Analyzing the problem (how did it happen?)
• Generating potential solutions or strategies to address the problem.
• Evaluating all possible solutions (Pros and Cons Analysis)
• Selecting the best solution based on their analysis and judgment.
• Implementing the best solution
• Monitoring progress and results
• Reviewing and evaluating the outcomes and making adjustments if necessary.

Other resources: Problem-solving workbook for kids

Debates are a fantastic way to encourage creative thinking and help kids understand different perspectives on real-world problems. By arguing for or against a topic, students learn to consider and respect diverse viewpoints, building skills in critical analysis and the curiosity and flexibility needed for problem-solving.

Divide students into groups, and randomly allocate the teams that will defend either position. 

Here’s a list of five debate topics that would work well for a team pro/con structure:

• Should kids have homework every day?
• Would it be it better to have a longer summer break, or shorter school days year-round?
• Should schools ban junk food from the cafeteria?
• Is it better to learn from books or through technology?
• Should animals be kept in zoos?
• Should kids be allowed to have smartphones?

31. Classification Game

Present a set of mixed-up objects (e.g., animals, plants, objects) and ask children to categorize them into specific groups (e.g., mammals, plants, machines).

32. Predicting Changes in an Ecosystem

This activity involves analyzing data or observing patterns to make educated guesses about how an ecosystem might evolve under certain conditions. This can help students understand cause and effect within natural systems, fostering critical thinking about environmental science and ecology.

For example, create a small ecosystem using plants and animals (real or artificial) and ask children what would happen if a new element was introduced, such as removing one species or adding a new one. ed: suggest plants and insects. Creating an ecosystem with animals is a big ask!

33. Making Predictions from Data

Making Predictions from Data  is a real-world activity that teaches students to analyze patterns and trends to make informed guesses about future outcomes. By examining data, whether from a simple weather chart or a survey on favorite foods, students learn to interpret information, identify trends, and develop critical thinking skills. This activity can be used in various subjects, helping students understand how data supports decision-making in everyday life.

For example, give students data on the number of books read by their classmates each month. They notice that book reading increased steadily from September to December. Based on this trend, ask them to predict how many books will be read in January and discuss possible reasons for the increase, like cooler weather or reading challenges.

34. Comparing and Contrasting Items

Comparing and Contrasting  is a key critical thinking activity that helps students explore similarities and differences between topics, ideas, or items. This skill can be applied to anything from everyday choices to analyzing historical events, comparing characters in a story, or understanding scientific concepts. An effective activity is to have students compare items they might want to buy, like two different backpacks or tablets. By evaluating features, prices, and quality, they practice making informed decisions, building both analytical and decision-making skills.

35. Analyze a News Article

Provide a simple news article on current affairs and ask children to identify the key points of that particular situation, evaluate the reliability of the sources, and discuss what actions they might take if they were involved in the situation. This activity builds critical thinking by encouraging them to reflect on real-world events and consider different perspectives.

36. Make a Decision Matrix

A  Decision Matrix  is a tool that helps students evaluate multiple options by rating each one based on specific criteria. It’s a grid where options are listed on one side, criteria on the other, and each option is scored to find the best choice. This encourages critical thinking and teaches students to make thoughtful, balanced decisions by considering all aspects of a problem.

• Students are deciding on a class project, they can list options (like a science experiment, art display, or community service) and criteria (interest level, resources needed, time required) to help choose the best fit.
• Families choosing a pet may weigh options like size, cost, care requirements, and activity level.

Incorporating critical thinking activities in the classroom is a powerful way to nurture young minds. These exercises build essential  cognitive skills  and help kids become inquisitive, confident thinkers.

Other Cognitive Abilities Resources & Articles

• Fun Problem-Solving Workbook for Kids
• 25 Problem-Solving Activities for Kids
• 57 Memory Activities for Kids
• 30 Focus & Attention Activities for Kids

Critical Thinking Worksheets for Kids (PDF Download)

Your critical thinking worksheets include the following activities:

• Fun Shapes Sudoku
• Fact vs Opinion 
• Debate Activity

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