Imagine for a moment that you live in ancient times.

You and your tribe are keen observers of nature, including the sun and moon patterns. It is a survival tactic.

You know the sun’s path, the seasons. You know the moon’s cycle. You’ve created a rudimentary calendar.

All observational evidence points to the Earth being at the center of the universe. It’s the center of your universe. Based on all observational evidence, the sun and moon revolve around the earth and support your theory that Earth is the center.

One day, you learn of a new theory. It suggests the Earth revolves around the sun.

The sun is the center, not the Earth.

This theory rocks your world. It changes your entire perception of what you know to be true.

What do you do?

Do you entertain the new theory? Reject it out of hand? Get angry? Banish the person who brought such an outrageous idea to your tribe and carefully guarded worldview?

Or…

Do you start analyzing your assumptions and question what you thought you knew to be true?

Do you think critically…?

What IS Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to:

  • evaluate evidence
  • make reasoned judgments
  • analyze information *objectively*
  • solve problems through logical and reflective thinking

It involves questioning assumptions, recognizing biases, and considering alternative perspectives before drawing conclusions.

Critical thinking isn’t just about thinking deeply — it’s about thinking in a structured and disciplined way. It requires continuous questioning and reflection. And it leads to meaningful understanding.

Teaching critical thinking to kids means they learn how to:

  • test hypotheses,
  • assess the validity of ideas, and
  • apply knowledge to real-world situations.

This is an essential life skill.

Why?

Because it encourages independent thought and innovation and enables learners to grasp complex real-world issues.

When kids are taught to use critical thinking skills, they can apply them to every subject — history, language arts, math, science, art — and across subjects.

They can challenge assumptions — the Earth is the center of our world — and look beyond known narratives to see new ideas and develop new theories — the sun is the center of our solar system.

Helping kids learn how to think critically is a process that helps them develop:

  • resilience,
  • problem-solving,
  • independent thought,
  • and an ability to handle complex challenges and narratives.

What Critical Thinking in History Looks Like

Imagine your child loves ancient Roman history. They are studying the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), a conflict from ancient Greece between the Athenian Empire and the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta (you may not remember ever learning about it so are even more impressed your kid loves it).

Your child encounters two different historical sources: one written by an Athenian historian, emphasizing Athens’ role in defending democracy, and another by a Spartan historian, portraying Sparta as the protector of traditional Greek values against Athenian aggression.

Each account reflects the biases of its writer.

Which one is ‘right’?

Your child, fascinated by the different accounts, digs deep. After hours of engaged reading (no sarcasm intended) they conclude that neither account is the absolute truth.

They look beyond ‘facts’ and biases.

They dig into motivations.

They broaden their study to include other sources. They cross-reference. They continue their quest and consider the political, social, and economic factors that contributed to each author’s perspective.

They step away with a deep recognition that the historical events are understood differently by the different sides. They recognize that each narrative expresses the point of view of the people who recorded it.

Your child has attained a level of expertise in the ‘facts’ of the Peloponnesian War.

But more than this, they have learned to question single narratives, consider multiple viewpoints, and construct a more nuanced understanding of the past.

Wow. That is incredible.

This understanding is something your child will be able to apply to any history reading they do in the future. It will impact their understanding of the world around them, how they speak, how they interact, and how empathetic they are.

All because they were able to go from reading conflicting historical narratives — and not throwing out the new narrative that didn’t fit with their preconceived knowledge — to thinking critically about both narratives, digging deep to understand motivations, and seeing a bigger picture.

*By the way, this war shifted power from Athens to Sparta, and (eventually) made Sparta the most powerful city-state in the region.

What Critical Thinking in Math Looks Like

Now imagine you’re teaching your child math. You are explaining place value and helping them understand going from ones place value to tens. They count from 0 to 9 then write a two-digit number ten.

But then they start asking questions. Why do the numbers change after 9? Why does 10 have two digits? Why isn’t there just another symbol for 10?

Oh no! What to say?! Do you launch into a lengthy but very cool explanation of our decimal (base 10) number system on the spot? And explain how we could all count in base 2 or base 8 or even base 16 and the numbers would look different and our entire way of thinking about them would be different?

Do you dive in and completely change your child’s way of thinking about numbers?

My dad did this way back when. And I was in shock. I couldn’t believe that our number system was anything but the way (I thought) numbers exist in nature. I ‘knew’ base 10 had to be just ‘the way things are’ until he explained binary, octal, and hexadecimal counting systems to me.

And I started to question a lot of my assumptions about numbers and math. We use base 10 largely because humans have ten fingers. But we use binary code in computers because they operate using two states — on/off or 0 and 1. Each number system has a purpose and is used in a different context.

Numbers are constructs. Mathematical principles are just that — theories that help us think. We use them in different ways depending on our needs. For example, we might need to use percentages when talking about profit margins or fractions when talking about doubling a recipe.

Helping kids understand the concepts behind the numbers — conceptual math — helps them understand what math to apply in a given situation. It helps them learn how to think critically using math — break down problems, identify patterns, and choose the appropriate strategies to solve them.

Critical thinking in math helps kids move beyond the assumption that their familiar way of counting or solving a problem, is the “natural” one or the only right one. It encourages them to see different possibilities and think outside the box.

This is far more valuable than just memorizing times tables and formulas. It means kids will be able to apply their knowledge of math to real-world situations.

Critical Thinking in Language Arts

Take The Hunger Games for example, a dystopian novel set in a future where the government, known as the Capitol, forces children to participate in annual death matches for entertainment.

A superficial interpretation might include focusing on the primary action, adventure, and Katniss’ quest to stay alive. Katniss might be seen as a hero who wins the games by being clever and strong.

But through discussion and open-ended questions, your child might reflect more deeply on the underlying themes of the novel.

You might introduce other readings related to themes of societal inequality to spark their thinking.

By using questions like those below and allowing your child time to think and debate several points of view, you will be helping them develop critical thinking skills.

Here’s a short list of the kinds of questions:

  • How does the Capitol use the Hunger Games to maintain control over the districts? What does this suggest about the nature of power and authority?
  • How do Katniss’s choices reflect her values and beliefs? What do these choices say about her character and the world she lives in?
  • How does the use of media and the televised nature of the games act as a critique of real-world media practices and their impact on society?
  • What parallels can you draw between the society in The Hunger Games and historical or contemporary examples of authoritarian regimes or oppressive governments?

Just reading the questions could provoke a lot of new thoughts.

By analyzing Katniss’s story, your child might also reflect on themes of sacrifice, resistance, and the morality of violence. They might start to question the nature of rebellion and what it means to be a symbol of hope in a world that thrives on oppression.

Critical thinking will prompt them to dive deep and see The Hunger Games, and possibly everything else they read, through a more mature, thoughtful lens.

They may start to see how literature reflects societal issues and can reflect real-world power dynamics and moral dilemmas.

Who knows… maybe they’ll be inspired to write their own novel, or article, or newsletter…

Critical Thinking in Art

Imagine you and your child are visiting a famous museum (think the Museum of Modern Art in NYC or similar). You are both excited. You’ve talked up the trip as a great educational and cultural experience. Your kid is uncharacteristically excited to see the art (or at least visit NYC).

…and then you get to Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans which looks like… well, a lot of cans of soup.

Your kid stares at it, tilts their head, squints, and starts to say… “This isn’t ar…”

And you…?

…wish you’d taken more time to introduce modern art before getting on a plane and having your kid mock the art on the wall.

…dive into an intense discussion of the symbolism of modern art.

…laugh alongside your kid at the soup cans and move on.

The superficial interpretation might be that the artwork is just a series of soup cans, and therefore lacks artistic value.

But your kiddo (who secretly read up on modern art before getting on the plane and has an in-depth take on each piece that they are about to share with you, even though it’s past lunch and your stomach is growling), having finished studying Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, turns to explain how the work of art questions the distinction between commercial and fine art.

Your child then notes that the work challenges traditional notions of ‘art’ by elevating everyday objects.

Your kiddo (ignoring your and their hunger pains for the sake of art) goes on to add another layer of analysis beyond those they merely read — demonstrating their own critical thinking skills.

You realize your child is a master at critical thinking. And can apply it to anything they learn. You break for lunch… and decide to skip the soup.

Critical Thinking in Science

Imagine your child (channeling their future brilliant environmental scientist self) is doing a science experiment to test their hypothesis about the value of aerated soil for improving crop yield.

They are heavily invested in learning about regenerative farming. They’ve read the studies and are sure their experiment will demonstrate that aerated soil is far superior to non-aerated soil.

They’ve designed their own experiment. BUT! They’ve focused mostly on measuring plant growth within a certain timeframe.

There is a flaw in their experimental design and protocols. They do not get the results they expected.

Does your kiddo decide they (and the research they read) are wrong? Or do they go back and analyze the parameters of their experiment more closely?

Using critical thinking, they might reflect on their initial thinking, and realize they did not include factors like water, sunlight, and soil nutrients.

They do another experiment. This time their results are closer to what they expected but still not an overwhelming yes for soil aeration.

They again reflect, revise, and redo their experiment. They change the length of time, account for other parameters, and also analyze the health of plants, root development, and soil structure changes.

With each iteration of their experiment, they get closer to a big-picture understanding of the situation.

They are using critical thinking skills to reflect, revise and iterate. Skills they can apply to anything they do in life.

They are like their ancestor — the one who, thinking the Earth was the center of the universe, considered the possibility of a different worldview, and came away with a profoundly deeper understanding of our world.

Takeaways

Encouraging critical thinking in your kids is more than just helping them ace their next test. It is about giving them a lifelong set of skills.

Critical thinking might look different in each subject, but the skills are interrelated and have the power to impact your child’s ability to understand the world.

Teaching your kiddo critical thinking skills helps them become more adaptable, curious, and better able to tackle real-world problems.

You can teach your child critical thinking by:

  • using open-ended questions
  • encouraging their innate curiosity
  • using project based learning and experiential learning
  • using discussions and debates that encourage them to see things from a different point of view.

When we teach our kids to question, analyze, and understand the world around them, we’re setting them up to handle challenges — with curiosity and confidence, and with humility and deep reflection.