Throughout childhood and adolescence, children’s
brains are developing in important ways. One sign of this development is the
ability to think about abstract concepts, such as “truth” and “justice.”
Parents can
help young people develop this ability by initiating activities and
conversations that involve these skills.
For example:
•
Challenge accepted ideas. Ask,
“Why shouldn’t athletes cheat?” or “Why don’t children go to school on the
weekends?”
Making young people support their accepted beliefs
helps them understand the concept behind them.
• Talk with your child about imaginary
situations. Ask: “What if you won the lottery?” or “What if eating ice cream
became illegal?”
• Do science experiments. Have children guess
what will happen. Ask: “If we shine a lamp on this plant, will it grow faster
or slower?”
• Play games that require thinking ahead. “Battleship,”
checkers, and chess are good examples of games that require some strategy.
• Let your children make choices. It’s OK if
they make minor mistakes, such as spending allowance too quickly. They’ll soon
learn to plan differently.
All these strategies help critical
thinking skills develop.
