Critical Thinking for Kids: How to Solve the Right Problem


Kids are often better at solving problems than we give them credit for. Something keeps falling over. An adult makes it stay up. The solution technically works. It solves the wrong problem. Critical thinking is not only puzzles, riddles, or finding the correct answer.

Problem Solving Starts Before the Solution


Backpack won't close. Tower keeps falling. Lemonade isn't selling. Different problem. Different solution. Building problem-solving skills means helping kids pause before jumping to the first fix.

Three Things to Figure Out First

  • Goal


    What are you actually trying to make happen? The goal determines what counts as a useful solution.

  • Facts


    What do you know — and what are you assuming? Help kids separate what actually happened from what they think happened.

  • What Still Matters


    What does the solution still need to let you do? A fix can technically work while creating another problem.

Five Questions That Build Better Thinking

What are you actually trying to make happen?

What do you know for sure?

What might you be assuming?

What have you already tried?

What could you test before doing the whole thing?

Parents do not need to turn every problem into a lesson. One good question is usually enough.

Asking Better Questions Is Part of Critical Thinking


“Can you help me?” and “It doesn't work” do not give another person enough information.

What would I need to know to help you?

Don't Rescue the Thinking Part

  • Show me what's happening.
  • Which part isn't working?
  • What have you figured out already?
  • What could you try next?

You can absolutely help. Just try not to take over the part that requires the thinking.

Everyday Critical Thinking Activities for Kids

You don't need a special workbook to practice this. Real life provides plenty.

  • Building something that keeps tipping over
  • Figuring out why a plan didn't work
  • Deciding how to spend a limited amount of money
  • Packing something that needs to fit
  • Fixing unclear instructions
  • Working out what information another person needs
  • Testing two different ways to do something
  • Adjusting when the first idea fails

When the Fix Solves the Wrong Problem

The kids build a portable hideout, but it keeps tipping on uneven ground. Jack asks his dad for help and tells him it keeps falling over. Dad solves exactly that problem by staking the hideout firmly into the ground. Now it doesn't fall over — it also doesn't move. The hideout was supposed to be portable. The kids have to recognize what Jack left out, rethink the problem, and find a solution that keeps the hideout stable without removing the thing that made it useful.

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Critical Thinking for Kids: Quick Answers

What is critical thinking for kids?


Critical thinking means looking at information, asking questions, considering different possibilities, making decisions, and adjusting when something doesn't work.

How can parents improve problem-solving skills in kids?


Give kids opportunities to work through manageable everyday problems before supplying the answer. Ask questions that help them identify the goal, separate facts from assumptions, and test possible solutions.

What are good critical thinking activities for kids?


Building challenges, planning purchases, fixing everyday problems, comparing options, following imperfect instructions, and testing different solutions can all give kids practical opportunities to think critically.