free critical thinking worksheets for preschool

Fun activities for developing critical thinking skills in preschoolers

Inside: Critical thinking preschool worksheets to download for free!

Problem-solving and critical thinking are important skills children in preschool need to develop in order to succeed in school.

Include these critical thinking preschool worksheets in your curriculum to give them enough opportunities for practice.

You might also like my brand new Things that don’t belong worksheets !

Critical thinking preschool worksheets

Whether you are taking a walk outside or reading a book together with your child, there are always opportunities to practice critical thinking.

For instance, encourage your child to look for repeating patterns, for similarities and differences between objects and so on. The more they understand the world around them the better they will be able to generalize and utilize the knowledge in more complex situations.

To provide you with some pen and paper exercises, I’ve created these critical thinking preschool worksheets.

Feel free to use them in the classroom or at home.

And make sure to expand on your child’s answers. Ask her more about each group of pictures, why they belong/don’t belong together, and so forth.

To download, just click on the download link at the very end.

Similar: Things that go together worksheets

Feel free to use these worksheets in the classroom or at home. But please remember that any other re-distribution or altering are not allowed. Thank you. 

Critical thinking skills

7 thoughts on “Fun activities for developing critical thinking skills in preschoolers”

Hey Kristina, thanks. My 5 years old found it really interesting. Do you have more?

Not the same kind of activities. But it’s a good idea to create more like these, I will add them to my to-do list!

Hey Kristina, Thank you so much for the resources. I have a 1st grader with special needs and am always at a loss for what to do to supplimet our schools amazing special ed departments at home. Your worksheets are life savers!

I am happy to help!

Kristina, thanks for saving our kids from non-stop TV and boredom thanks to your great print-outs these days!!!

Lol, you’re welcome! I know it’s hard to constantly entertain them at home. My two boys are the same. All the best to you!

Very interesting Kristina..Thank you for this Materials I used them with my 4 year old daughter!!!!☺💖

Comments are closed.

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My students had fun with this as an activity right before we left for Thanksgiving Break!

I teach adult SpEd/transition students, some of whom have the goal of being able to work with money. This type of worksheet allows us to assess money recognition. I can use it with my limited mobiity students by providing daubers for them to use if working a marker or crayon. We have laminated some of them to use with dry erase markers or post it dots.

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12 Critical Thinking Activities for Kids

By: Author Tanja McIlroy

Posted on Last updated: 5 June 2024

Categories Early Literacy

Critical thinking is a valuable skill and one that young children should be actively taught. The best way to teach this to preschoolers and kindergarteners is through play activities, discussions and stories.

In this article, I’ll share some basic critical thinking activities for kids.

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is one of the higher-order thinking skills and is the process of analyzing information using logic, reasoning and creativity, in order to understand things and draw conclusions. [ source ]

Critical Thinking Activities for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners

The preschool years are the time to stimulate your children with fun games and activities that will stretch their imaginations and their ability to think critically.

These 12 critical thinking games for kids are screen-free, traditional games that can be played with your preschooler anywhere, and with no prep.

The traditional game of I Spy can be played in many ways e.g. spying objects based on initial sounds ( teaching letters ) or colours ( colour recognition ).

To test your child’s thinking, play this game by using descriptive clues that don’t involve sounds or colours.

• I spy with my little eye something that’s soft, round and can be thrown.
• I spy with my little eye something that grows, is smooth and is found on trees.

2. Build a Story

This game is about creative thinking and language development.

Start by making up an introduction to a story:

Once upon a time, there was a little grey cat.

Your child then adds a sentence to the story, thus changing the direction of the story:

The little grey cat was lost in the woods.

Then you add a sentence and so the story continues:

Suddenly, he heard a whisper behind him and he froze.

This game usually ends in fits of laughter and a ridiculous story but uses a lot of brainpower and imagination.

3. Rhyming Game

Play this rhyming game by challenging your child to think of words that rhyme with an easy word such as cat or tap. This game is great for developing auditory perception .

Say a sentence such as “ I have a …” or “ I see a …” and add in a simple word such as cat . Your child then responds with the same sentence using an appropriate rhyming word and you continue the game until you run out of words together.

Then choose a new word.

You: I see a cat .

Child: I see a rat .

You: I see a mat .

Child: I see a hat .

4. How Many Can You Think of?

This game challenges children to think of words that fit into a theme or category.

Choose a category, such as colours , and put a timer on for one minute. Ask your child to name as many words as they can that fit into the category, without repeating any.

Write down the words as they are said and count the total at the end. Your child will be motivated to beat the total in the next round.

Try these fun category games too.

5. Matchstick Buildings

Build 3D structures out of matchsticks and a variety of materials that can be used to join the edges – e.g. Prestik, Blu Tack, jelly sweets, little marshmallows, tape, playdough , glue, etc.

This will teach some technology skills and encourage planning, thinking and problem-solving as your child tries to figure out how to join parts together and make things stand, balance or hold in a particular position.

6. Cloud Stories

Every child will enjoy this activity. Go outside on a nice cloudy day, lie next to each other on the grass and look for pictures in the clouds.

Once you have found a few, encourage your child to tell a story by tying all the pictures together.

7. Lego Theme

You could ask your child to build a farm theme, complete with animals and farmhouses, and then ask them to build a space station. You will be surprised by how creative children can be when challenged to think of ways to create.

8. Tangrams

Ask your child to use the shapes to create a particular image, e.g. a specific animal, and give no direction. Your child must think about how to build various parts of a body by joining shapes together.

9.  Tic-Tac-Toe

This game, also known as noughts and crosses is an excellent thinking skills game and also develops planning skills.

Draw a simple table like the one above on paper or a chalkboard. Take turns to add a nought or a cross to the table and see who can make a row of three first.

Your child will probably catch on in no time and start thinking carefully before placing their symbol.

This game can also be played with coloured counters or different objects.

10. What is it?

Hold an object or toy behind your back. Your child must guess what it is by asking questions to extract clues.

Have your child hide an item first so you can model the kinds of questions allowed. Then swap and let your child formulate questions. With time, your child will learn how to ask targeted questions that narrow down the options.

• Is it soft or hard?
• Can I eat it?
• Can it fit in my hand?
• Does it make a sound?

11. Hide and Seek

In this game of Hide and Seek an object is hidden instead of a person.

This is a variation of the game above and involves giving directions or clues for where the object is hidden.

Hide the object then provide clues such as:

• It is far from here.
• It is outside the house.
• There is water near it.
• It is in the shade.

These clues can be easy or challenging, depending on your child’s age and ability to think.

12. What Really Happened?

This game works on imagination, creativity and thinking skills. Choose a story your child enjoys reading and knows well but have him/her make up an alternative ending to the story.

For example, Little Red Riding Hood goes into the woods with her basket but gets lost on the way and cannot find her grandmother’s house. What happens next?

Encourage your child to think of solutions to problems encountered along the way and ideas for how the characters can deal with certain situations.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these ideas!

Build school-readiness skills at home with the Learning Through Play Activity Pack! It is filled with simple and educational activity ideas to develop skills such as visual and auditory perception, listening, creative thinking, gross and fine motor coordination, early reading and writing, numeracy, and much more.

For a simple way to develop higher-order thinking skills, ask your children these thinking questions during story time .

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Sunday 15th of October 2023

I am a resource teacher and have been looking for these types of activities to use for my classes. I am excited to see how my students will respond...

Thank you so much for sharing...

Tanja Mcilroy

Monday 16th of October 2023

You're welcome, Lyn!

Tuesday 8th of August 2023

What a fantastic article on critical thinking activities for kids! As a parent, I'm always on the lookout for engaging ways to nurture my child's cognitive development. These 12 activities for preschoolers and kindergarteners truly resonate with me. The way you've explained each game, from I Spy to Cloud Stories, makes it easy to understand how they stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

Moreover, I found your insights on using higher-order thinking skills during storytime incredibly valuable. Encouraging kids to predict, infer, and analyze while reading is such a powerful way to enhance their cognitive abilities.

As I was reading your article, I couldn't help but think about another great resource that complements your ideas perfectly. It's an article called "Empower Your Child's Learning with Playful Critical Thinking Activities," and you can find it here: link. This article dives deeper into playful activities that foster critical thinking in kids and aligns perfectly with your approach.

Thank you for sharing your expertise and insights – your work is greatly appreciated by parents like me who are passionate about our children's development! 🌟

Wednesday 9th of August 2023

Thanks for your kind comment, Marina!

Connie Strand

Saturday 22nd of June 2019

Tanja , I have enjoyed all the articles you have written! The background information is so very important. Why we teach certain concepts along with the activities ,I think, has been invaluable! I hope other parents, educators and people involved with little ones, appreciate the extensive job you have done. Sincerely, Connie

Sunday 23rd of June 2019

Hi Connie, thank you so much for your kind words. I love writing about how young minds learn and it's wonderful when parents and teachers get involved and really understand the value of play for their children. Enjoy the journey! Tanja

Wednesday 20th of February 2019

I m very much satisfied with your ansure do u take sessions I need to meet u personaly so u can help me more about my daughter eira thank you very much

Hi Minaz, thank you for your comment. You are welcome to email me your queries at [email protected]

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5 Critical Thinking Skills Every Kid Needs To Learn (And How To Teach Them)

Teach them to thoughtfully question the world around them.

Little kids love to ask questions. “Why is the sky blue?” “Where does the sun go at night?” Their innate curiosity helps them learn more about the world, and it’s key to their development. As they grow older, it’s important to encourage them to keep asking questions and to teach them the right kinds of questions to ask. We call these “critical thinking skills,” and they help kids become thoughtful adults who are able to make informed decisions as they grow older.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking allows us to examine a subject and develop an informed opinion about it. First, we need to be able to simply understand the information, then we build on that by analyzing, comparing, evaluating, reflecting, and more. Critical thinking is about asking questions, then looking closely at the answers to form conclusions that are backed by provable facts, not just “gut feelings” and opinion.

Critical thinkers tend to question everything, and that can drive teachers and parents a little crazy. The temptation to reply, “Because I said so!” is strong, but when you can, try to provide the reasons behind your answers. We want to raise children who take an active role in the world around them and who nurture curiosity throughout their entire lives.

Key Critical Thinking Skills

So, what are critical thinking skills? There’s no official list, but many people use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help lay out the skills kids should develop as they grow up.

Source: Vanderbilt University

Bloom’s Taxonomy is laid out as a pyramid, with foundational skills at the bottom providing a base for more advanced skills higher up. The lowest phase, “Remember,” doesn’t require much critical thinking. These are the skills kids use when they memorize math facts or world capitals or practice their spelling words. Critical thinking doesn’t begin to creep in until the next steps.

Understanding requires more than memorization. It’s the difference between a child reciting by rote “one times four is four, two times four is eight, three times four is twelve,” versus recognizing that multiplication is the same as adding a number to itself a certain number of times. Schools focus more these days on understanding concepts than they used to; pure memorization has its place, but when a student understands the concept behind something, they can then move on to the next phase.

Application opens up whole worlds to students. Once you realize you can use a concept you’ve already mastered and apply it to other examples, you’ve expanded your learning exponentially. It’s easy to see this in math or science, but it works in all subjects. Kids may memorize sight words to speed up their reading mastery, but it’s learning to apply phonics and other reading skills that allows them to tackle any new word that comes their way.

Analysis is the real leap into advanced critical thinking for most kids. When we analyze something, we don’t take it at face value. Analysis requires us to find facts that stand up to inquiry, even if we don’t like what those facts might mean. We put aside personal feelings or beliefs and explore, examine, research, compare and contrast, draw correlations, organize, experiment, and so much more. We learn to identify primary sources for information, and check into the validity of those sources. Analysis is a skill successful adults must use every day, so it’s something we must help kids learn as early as possible.

Almost at the top of Bloom’s pyramid, evaluation skills let us synthesize all the information we’ve learned, understood, applied, and analyzed, and to use it to support our opinions and decisions. Now we can reflect on the data we’ve gathered and use it to make choices, cast votes, or offer informed opinions. We can evaluate the statements of others too, using these same skills. True evaluation requires us to put aside our own biases and accept that there may be other valid points of view, even if we don’t necessarily agree with them.

In the final phase, we use every one of those previous skills to create something new. This could be a proposal, an essay, a theory, a plan—anything a person assembles that’s unique.

Note: Bloom’s original taxonomy included “synthesis” as opposed to “create,” and it was located between “apply” and “evaluate.” When you synthesize, you put various parts of different ideas together to form a new whole. In 2001, a group of cognitive psychologists removed that term from the taxonomy , replacing it with “create,” but it’s part of the same concept.

How To Teach Critical Thinking

Using critical thinking in your own life is vital, but passing it along to the next generation is just as important. Be sure to focus on analyzing and evaluating, two multifaceted sets of skills that take lots and lots of practice. Start with these 10 Tips for Teaching Kids To Be Awesome Critical Thinkers . Then try these critical thinking activities and games. Finally, try to incorporate some of these 100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students into your lessons. They’ll help your students develop the skills they need to navigate a world full of conflicting facts and provocative opinions.

One of These Things Is Not Like the Other

This classic Sesame Street activity is terrific for introducing the ideas of classifying, sorting, and finding relationships. All you need are several different objects (or pictures of objects). Lay them out in front of students, and ask them to decide which one doesn’t belong to the group. Let them be creative: The answer they come up with might not be the one you envisioned, and that’s OK!

The Answer Is …

Post an “answer” and ask kids to come up with the question. For instance, if you’re reading the book Charlotte’s Web , the answer might be “Templeton.” Students could say, “Who helped save Wilbur even though he didn’t really like him?” or “What’s the name of the rat that lived in the barn?” Backwards thinking encourages creativity and requires a good understanding of the subject matter.

Forced Analogies

Practice making connections and seeing relationships with this fun game. Kids write four random words in the corners of a Frayer Model and one more in the middle. The challenge? To link the center word to one of the others by making an analogy. The more far out the analogies, the better!

Learn more: Forced Analogies at The Owl Teacher

Primary Sources

Tired of hearing “I found it on Wikipedia!” when you ask kids where they got their answer? It’s time to take a closer look at primary sources. Show students how to follow a fact back to its original source, whether online or in print. We’ve got 10 terrific American history–based primary source activities to try here.

Science Experiments

Hands-on science experiments and STEM challenges are a surefire way to engage students, and they involve all sorts of critical thinking skills. We’ve got hundreds of experiment ideas for all ages on our STEM pages , starting with 50 Stem Activities To Help Kids Think Outside the Box .

Not the Answer

Multiple-choice questions can be a great way to work on critical thinking. Turn the questions into discussions, asking kids to eliminate wrong answers one by one. This gives them practice analyzing and evaluating, allowing them to make considered choices.

Learn more: Teaching in the Fast Lane

Correlation Tic-Tac-Toe

Here’s a fun way to work on correlation, which is a part of analysis. Show kids a 3 x 3 grid with nine pictures, and ask them to find a way to link three in a row together to get tic-tac-toe. For instance, in the pictures above, you might link together the cracked ground, the landslide, and the tsunami as things that might happen after an earthquake. Take things a step further and discuss the fact that there are other ways those things might have happened (a landslide can be caused by heavy rain, for instance), so correlation doesn’t necessarily prove causation.

Learn more: Critical Thinking Tic-Tac-Toe at The Owl Teacher

Inventions That Changed the World

Explore the chain of cause and effect with this fun thought exercise. Start it off by asking one student to name an invention they believe changed the world. Each student then follows by explaining an effect that invention had on the world and their own lives. Challenge each student to come up with something different.

Learn more: Teaching With a Mountain View

Critical Thinking Games

There are so many board games that help kids learn to question, analyze, examine, make judgments, and more. In fact, pretty much any game that doesn’t leave things entirely up to chance (Sorry, Candy Land) requires players to use critical thinking skills. See one teacher’s favorites at the link below.

Learn more: Miss DeCarbo

This is one of those classic critical thinking activities that really prepares kids for the real world. Assign a topic (or let them choose one). Then give kids time to do some research to find good sources that support their point of view. Finally, let the debate begin! Check out 100 Middle School Debate Topics , 100 High School Debate Topics , and 60 Funny Debate Topics for Kids of All Ages .

How do you teach critical thinking skills in your classroom? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out 38 simple ways to integrate social-emotional learning throughout the day ..

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100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students To Ask About Anything

Critical thinkers question everything. Continue Reading

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Question/answer, what are some effective activities to train students’ critical thinking skill when teaching them about plants and animals.

Effective activities include debates on conservation issues, designing experiments to observe plant growth or animal behavior, analyzing case studies on ecosystems, engaging in problem-solving scenarios related to biodiversity, and comparing and contrasting different species or habitats. These activities encourage students to evaluate information, formulate hypotheses, and develop reasoned arguments, thereby enhancing their critical thinking skills.

Why is the Critical thinking skill important for Kindergarten students?

Critical thinking skills are important for kindergarten students because they lay the foundation for effective problem-solving and decision-making. These skills help children analyze information, make connections, and come up with creative solutions, which are essential for academic success and daily life. Developing critical thinking early on fosters independent thinking, enhances creativity, and prepares students for future learning challenges.

How does the mastery of the Critical thinking skill affect a student's performance at an early age?

Mastering critical thinking skills at an early age significantly enhances a student's performance by improving problem-solving abilities, fostering independent thinking, and encouraging analytical reasoning. It equips young learners with the capacity to evaluate information objectively, make reasoned judgments, and develop innovative solutions, thereby enhancing their academic achievements and preparing them for complex decision-making in real-life situations.

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Critical Thinking Worksheets

• Brain Teasers - A great way to stimulate thinking. Don't worry, they come complete with answer keys.
• Compare and Contrast - Students examine differences and similarities in a variety situations.
• Dictionary Practice Worksheets - Practice your dictionary skills.
• Fact And Opinion - Students determine the validity of a body of work.
• How Many Are There? - Fun activities for examining patterns.
• Internet Search Worksheets - Fun Internet searches for students.
• Logic Puzzle - Each scenario is thought provoking. Lots of brain power needed here.
• Making Predictions - A good warm-up for inferences.
• Mazes - Your run-of-the-mill start and finish mazes.
• Name People That ...- Good creative thinking exercises.
• Name Places That ...- Good creative thinking exercises.
• Name Things That ...- Good creative thinking exercises.
• Secret Code - Students answer riddles through secret codes.
• Study Skills Worksheets - Great for test preparation.
• Sorting and Classifying - Great for meeting national standards.
• What Do You Remember? - A visual memory activity.

Activities That Improve Student Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is perhaps the most important skill we need. It is paramount not just for job success but also for making the best decisions in crucial life matters.

As an educator, you should explain to your students that almost all our mistakes can be attributed to a lack of critical thinking. You can pick just about any big blunder you made in the past. You will invariably find that it transpired because of a failure to think critically.

Remember, the best thing you can do as a teacher is to inculcate a strong sense of critical thinking in your students.

Here are the activities that will help students to develop critical thinking.

Discuss Cognitive Biases

There are myriad cognitive biases.

The fact of the matter is we succumb to these biases at some point in our lives. Hence, it pays to study these biases.

You can pick those biases you think are the most detrimental and insidious. You should then explain them to your students to learn to identify and avoid these biases.

Perhaps the most dangerous bias by far is the Optimism bias. It may sound rather innocuous because of the word ‘optimism’. However, it is far more sinister in reality.

Optimism bias tends to think that bad things won't happen to us - they will happen to others only. For example, many think they won't suffer a fatal car crash. Hence, some get involved in overspeeding and texting while driving despite knowing their perils. No wonder these two reckless acts are the main reasons for fatal car crashes.

Writing About Biases

After elucidating various biases and providing simple examples to help them grasp these concepts, you can instruct your students to write about adverse events in their lives when they succumbed to these biases.

What did you learn? What were the consequences? These are further questions you can ask.

Talking about one’s mistakes is never easy. It is hard to concede that we are wrong at times. However, if we want to become better human beings and find success, we must learn from our mistakes. But the first step entails admitting one’s mistakes.

This will also instill humility and reduce overconfidence.

Avoiding Biases – The Easy Way 

All biases and ensuring blunders are avoidable with one simple trick.

It just takes one word to get smarter – “why”. That is, you should question everything. As simple as that.

In particular, you should question all that you do and think.

Write it down first whenever you are about to take action or form an opinion about something. Then in front of it, just write “why?” You can then brainstorm and write for and against the idea in logical points.

If you make this a regular habit, you will avoid many mistakes and regrets. You will also maximize positive returns from your decisions.

Explain It to a 6-Year Old

This is something that can greatly benefit students in their academic endeavors.

We are inclined to think that we understand what has been just said. But just nodding along is not enough. You should be able to explain it to others.

The good news is that this goes far beyond altruism. In truth, it is self-empowerment. When you explain an abstruse concept to others, you bolster your own understanding of the same. Reiterating something embeds it more deeply into your long-term memory.

The social factor may also be beneficial and fruitful.

Do Your Research

Teach students to challenge common perceptions and conventional wisdom.

Explain carefully that this entails walking a fine line. You don't want to be dismissive, nor do you want to be naive. Instead, you should have an open mind and a willingness to do your research carefully.

Inform students about consulting reliable online sources. Explain that it is best to consider multiple authentic sources. Don't be satisfied with just the first entry in Google search results.

Here's how you can instill the importance of research in your students.

Instruct your students to research air pollution in the US. Those who do their research more meticulously will find that indoor air pollution is far deadlier than outdoor air pollution.

Tell them that they found out this key health fact courtesy of research. You can further instruct them to find ways of mitigating these risks.

Motivate your students to do research by telling them that they will be pleasantly surprised at the wealth of knowledge that they can uncover via dedicated research.

Beware of Disinformation

Disinformation is ubiquitous these days. It has become a weapon of choice for bad actors ranging from rogue states to unscrupulous individuals.

Critical thinking can help dispel misinformation and prevent you from becoming its victim.

You should help kids to detect and deal with weapons of mass distraction.

There was a time when fake news was disseminated largely via social media.

It is being spread by state-sponsored groups masquerading as legitimate media outlets on the internet. The scope and scale of these fake news campaigns are staggering to say the least.

One such fake news campaign involved no less than 750 fake sites posing as media outlets. Disinformation from this notorious racket reached millions around the globe and even found its way to UN and European Parliament meetings.

You can instruct kids in your class to do a project on internet disinformation, complete with case studies. You should also tell them to write about all possible ways to spot fakes and scams.

Bottom Line

Shown above are the activities to develop critical thinking in students.

You might agree that cultivating this key ability in your students is one of the best things you did for them. 

Critical Thinking Skills Worksheets Gifted Kids Math Workbooks Puzzle Workbooks for Kids - Updated Each Month!

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Work sheet library: critical thinking, 100 ready-to-print student work sheets organized by grade level.

Click on a grade level folder below to find a library of work sheets that you can use with your students to build a wide variety of critical thinking skills. All the work sheets in this library were provided to Education World by our partners at CriticalThinking.com . 

Visit Education World's Work Sheet Library for a wide variety of free printables for use across the curriculum and across the grades.

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Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education! COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2024 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SchoolNotes.com The Educator's Network Atlas Mission Navigate to... 10 preschool critical thinking activities my preschooler loves. Want to Improve Your Child's Critical Thinking Skills? Enroll your child for the Atlas Mission – the ultimate learning companion for kids. Some days I wonder, “What was he thinking?” “I had too many socks. The drawer wouldn’t close so I threw the extras in the trash,” beams my little guy as if that was the perfect solution to the problem. Teaching kids critical thinking skills can be almost as hard as teaching them that pants are not an optional piece of clothing and goggles and an umbrella alone do not make a complete outfit either. Here are some tried-and-true critical thinking activities for preschoolers that my child loves. 1. Guess What I Have With a small toy in one hand, place both hands behind your back. Ask your child to guess what is in your hand. As they make attempts to guess, give them clues such as: “It’s not blue, it’s red,” or “it doesn’t have wheels, it has legs.” This allows them to make guesses based on what they already know. Be ready to dodge in case they get frustrated and throw things at you. It happens. 2. Play the ‘Is It True?’ Game Ask your child a question that starts with ‘Is it true that…’. When they answer, ask them how they know that it is true or not. I asked my preschooler “How do you know if someone is sleeping?” “Because they slobber on their pillow,” he answered brilliantly. Don’t worry about perfect answers, just praise any effort. 3. Work in Groups Getting my kids to work together in a group is one of the best preschool critical thinking activities that I know of. The hardest part of this activity is getting everyone’s attention. Just join the game of ‘Who can say “No, me” the loudest’ , and maybe they will hear you. When I can ever get my kids to interact with each other, they realize that there is more than one way of doing things and they are introduced to a variety of different approaches and ideas. Pro Tip: Help Your Child Become Better at Critical Thinking Enroll your child for the Atlas Mission and let your child play with this award-winning educational program. Your child will become better at critical thinking without even realizing it! 4. Play “Good Idea/Bad Idea” Take two of your child’s favorite stuffed animals (and when they throw a fit for them, take two that they don’t like instead) and put on a show with them. Act out scenarios and let your child predict the outcomes of their actions. Ask them at each phase of the game if what the characters are going to do is a good idea or a bad idea and why. 5. Food Tasting Forming an opinion is an important preschool critical thinking skill. Kids have strong opinions about food. It’s usually a love/hate relationship. It is widely known in preschool circles that no two kids are allowed to have the same favorite food. This is cause for war. Bring out some foods that you know your child hates or loves. My son hates chicken and loves yogurt so we used those. Now ask them if they like that food or not and why or why not. Then bring out a new food that your child will love (we used blue cupcakes with sprinkles) and let them predict whether or not they will like it and why. 6. Find Similarities and Differences My preschooler and I often play a game of pointing out similarities and differences in things. He tells me how similar Dad and I are because we both drive under stop lights and how different Dad is from me because he thinks a yellow light means hurry up and I think it means slow down. Challenge your child to find things that are similar and different at the same time like a fork and a spoon. Both are utensils but one is for eating salad and one is for digging in the backyard when Mom’s not looking (or something like that). These similarities and differences activities for preschoolers help strengthen a variety of your child’s skills. 7. Go On a Picnic One of our favorite preschool critical thinking activities often includes an outdoor picnic. Give your child a lunch box to pack and suggest items that are both relevant and irrelevant to a picnic, and let them tell you which items are relevant, and why. Yes, they will probably want to include their pet goldfish and two left mittens. If they can explain the relevance, I guess it can get packed. 8. Make ‘Get Well’ Cards Making ‘Get Well Soon’ cards for people who are sick can help kids relate situations back to themselves. As you make the cards, ask them if they have ever been sick or hurt. They will probably have a hundred stories but don’t worry. We all know that every Mom has a secret super power: the pretend listening skill. “Oh, really?” “I never knew that.” “You’re kidding? Tell me more.” Oh, yeah, we’re good. 9. Hide the Thimble We have played this game for years to develop critical thinking skills. We never hide a thimble, though. I can just see my preschooler popping that thing in his mouth and me attempting to do the Heimlich maneuver on him. No, we use a baseball instead. There’s no chance of him getting that whole thing in his mouth. Although, I’ve seen him try. Everyone closes their eyes while the ball is being hidden. Then, I give clues and let the kids know if they are getting closer to the ball or further away. I also give clues like, “It’s near the sofa.” 10. Ask ‘What Happened and Why’ No, I’m not talking about when you hear a loud noise and run into the room to investigate. For this activity, you only need a family photo album. Sit down with your child and look at some funny photos of the family. Choose photos that have a story behind them and then ask your child, “What happened in this picture and why?” My little guy likes the photo of my sister when she spilled melted chocolate all over the kitchen. Yup, that’s a keeper. I’m sure you have some photos of your family that you can make fun of, too. I hope you enjoy some of these preschool critical thinking activities with your little one just like I have. I just keep telling myself that one day they’ll pay off. But for now, I must go get those socks out of the trashcan. Facebook Pinterest Google+ Related Articles 10 Kindergarten Critical Thinking Activities to Inspire Their Inner Sherlock Holmes 7 Ways to Jump Start Your Child’s Critical Thinking Skills 7 Amazing Kindergarten Critical Thinking Skills your Little One will Love More Preschool and Kindergarten Critical Thinking Articles... Popular Articles 10 Sneaky Ways to Trick Your Kids into Learning Math First Steps Towards Coding for Preschoolers: Understanding Instructions 5 Ways to Kill Your Child’s Creativity 10 Ways to Supercharge Your Child’s Science Skills About the Author Jill Cain creates educational content for the Atlas Mission . She has 20+ years of experience homeschooling her 6 children aged 4 - 21 and enjoys helping parents around the world in their homeschooling journeys. Liked this article? Don’t miss our next one. Our blog publishes free tips for busy parents like you to help you improve your child’s Reading, Math, Science and 21st century skills. 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Critical thinking forms the bedrock for success in academics and life. It equips students with the skills to analyze and form well-reasoned evidence-based conclusions. By teaching and developing critical thinking skills, you're exponentially improving a child's chances for success throughout life. "If we teach children everything we know, their knowledge is limited to ours. If we teach children to think, their knowledge is limitless." -Michael Baker Description and Features PreK, Kindergarten, First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth Grade Critical Thinking Test PDF Free Online All Products In This Series Grouped product items PreK-K eBook 1-2 eBook 3-4 eBook 5-6 eBook Add to Cart Add to Cart Remove This Item Special of the Month Sign Up for our Best Offers Bundles = Greatest Savings! 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Learning App for Toddlers Learning App for Preschoolers Download Kokotree App About Kokotree EduTech Award Winner Kokotree Early Education App Preschool Games and Activities Critical Thinking Activities for Preschoolers Written by: Kokotree Last updated: October 16, 2022 K ids are sponges. They soak up information and learn new things every day, whether we realize it or not! One of the best things we can do as parents are to help foster our children’s natural ability to think critically by providing engaging critical thinking activities for preschoolers. What is Critical Thinking for Preschoolers? Why teach preschoolers critical thinking, how to teach preschoolers critical thinking, here’s a list of critical thinking activities suitable for preschoolers:, the importance of predictions, the observation phase, discussing results, reading to complement experiments, the takeaway for parents, toy scenarios, relational language, drawing maps, real-world applications, parental involvement, starting simple, adding complexity, story-based patterning, encourage observations, parent tips, fold and cut, mirror images, symmetry in nature, question and understand, what parents should know, picture cards, daily routines, storytime sequencing, cooking together, parent’s role, a skill for life, animal sorting, food categories, color coding, advanced classifying, ask questions, skill building, simple pairings, attribute matching, word pairings, “what doesn’t belong”, ask open-ended questions, why analogies matter, mixed criteria, question and discuss, importance for cognitive development, basic counting with objects, count and compare, counting games, skip counting, the “guess the number” game, subtraction and addition, why counting matters, using everyday scenarios, hands-on activities, beyond just numbers, make it a game, questions to prompt thinking, importance in daily life. Critical thinking for preschoolers refers to their ability to process information independently, make connections, reason, and make well-thought-out decisions. It involves encouraging curiosity, asking questions, and understanding the “why” behind concepts. Teaching critical thinking to preschoolers is essential as it fosters independence, boosts problem-solving skills, and prepares them for future academic and life challenges. It also enhances their creativity, adaptability, and ability to navigate complex situations. To teach preschoolers critical thinking, introduce open-ended questions, provide hands-on experiences, encourage curiosity, engage in storytelling, promote problem-solving activities, and create an environment where they feel safe to express ideas and make mistakes. Sorting and Categorizing : Provide a mix of objects and have them sort them by various attributes (color, size, shape, texture). Story Sequencing : Use picture cards to tell a story and ask them to arrange them in the correct order. What’s Missing? Game : Set up a few items, let the child study them, then remove one when they aren’t looking and ask which one is missing. Pattern Recognition : Use colored blocks or beads to create a pattern and have them continue it. Cause and Effect Experiments : Simple experiments like “What happens when you drop a ball?” or “What happens if you put paper in water?” True or False Questions : A type of assessment where learners decide whether a given statement is accurate, often used to test knowledge on specific facts or concepts quickly. Memory Games : Classic games like ‘Simon says’ or matching card games. Question of the Day: Start the day with an open-ended question like, “Why is the sky blue?” or “How do plants grow?” Role Play : Encourage them to act out different scenarios, which helps in understanding different perspectives. Building Challenges: Using blocks or LEGO, set a challenge like “Can you build a bridge?” or “Make a house with a garage.” Problem Solving Scenarios: Give them hypothetical problems to solve, like “What would you do if your toy broke?” or “How can you share three apples with four friends?” Picture Interpretation: Show them a complex picture and ask open-ended questions about what they see, think, and wonder. Mystery Bag: Put an object in a bag and have them feel it without looking, then guess what it is. Puzzle Time: Regular puzzles are great for problem-solving and spatial recognition. Would you Rather Questions : Fun scenarios like “Would you rather be a fish or a bird?” This encourages reasoning and justification. Exploring Nature: Nature walks where they can observe, question, and learn about the environment. Music Exploration: Play different types of music and discuss how each one makes them feel. Story Creation: Give them a start, like “There’s a dragon in the garden…” and let them continue. Sensory Bins : Bins filled with sand, water beads, rice, or other materials where they can explore, measure, and experiment. Group Discussions: After a story or activity, discuss as a group what happened, why, and what might happen next. Prediction Activities: Activities where they predict what might happen next, whether in a story or a simple experiment. Integrating these activities into a preschooler’s daily routine will help foster an environment of curiosity, exploration, and deepened understanding. Science Experiments Science experiments offer a unique avenue for diving into critical thinking activities for kids. Let’s break down how you can turn simple experiments into a world of exploration and reasoning for your little one. Before starting any experiment, ask your child to make a prediction. Whether it’s guessing what color will result from mixing two paints or what will happen when you add salt to ice, predictions engage your child’s anticipatory skills. While performing the experiment and science activity , encourage your child to observe keenly. What do they see, smell, or hear? Encourage them to note these observations down or share them with you. This engages their senses and promotes active learning during preschool . After the experiment, sit down with your child and discuss what happened. Compare their initial predictions with the actual results. Did something unexpected happen? Great! This is a fantastic moment to introduce the concept of ’cause and effect,’ a cornerstone in critical thinking for preschoolers. Consider pairing these experiments with related books. Reading material can help cement the scientific concepts you’ve explored, making the learning experience well-rounded. Your role is crucial. The questions you ask and the encouragement you give can transform a simple science experiment into a treasure trove of critical thinking activities. It’s not just about the ‘doing’; it’s also about the ‘thinking’ that goes along with it. By taking the time to prepare, observe, and discuss, you’re not just teaching science but instilling critical thinking skills that will last a lifetime. Spatial Relationships Understanding spatial relationships is a key aspect of critical thinking preschool activities. Not only does this skill lay the groundwork for geometry and other advanced math concepts, but it also helps your child navigate through the world more effectively. So, how can you turn understanding spatial relationships into a critical thinking exercise for your preschooler? Start by engaging your child with simple toy scenarios. For example, provide your child with a toy car and present a challenge: Can they position the car “under” the table or “next to” a book? This forces them to think critically about space and how different objects relate. In these spatial activities , the language you use is crucial. Words like “under,” “over,” “next to,” “behind,” and “in front of” enrich their vocabulary and conceptual understanding. Make a game out of it; ask them to place their toy “beside” the couch, then “beneath” a chair, and so on. Drawing simple maps can also be a fun way to explore spatial relationships. You and your child can draw a map of a room in your house or even a treasure map. This helps your child think critically about space on a two-dimensional scale. Use real-world situations to apply these concepts. For example, you could ask your child to help you find the shortest path from the car to the entrance of a store. This engages them in problem-solving and turns an everyday task into a critical thinking game for kids. Your involvement is essential. The prompts you give and the questions you ask can be geared towards understanding the reasoning behind their choices. Why did they think the car should go “under” the table and not “on top of it”? Their answers can offer insightful glimpses into their thought processes. Integrating these activities into your child’s routine provides essential tools for their cognitive development. It’s not just about understanding spatial relationships; it’s about setting the foundation for logical reasoning and problem-solving—skills that are vital for future learning. Patterning is an enjoyable and instructive way to introduce activities to develop critical thinking skills in preschoolers. Recognizing and creating patterns help children understand order and make predictions, essential skills for both math and everyday life. So how can you engage your child in patterning activities? Begin with straightforward activities. Give your child a set of blocks in different colors or shapes and ask them to arrange them in a simple pattern, like “red-blue-red-blue” or “circle-square-circle-square. You can introduce more complex ones as they get comfortable with simpler patterns. For example, try a pattern that involves more than two colors or shapes, like “red-blue-green-red-blue-green.” To make it more engaging, try creating a story around the pattern. Maybe the colored blocks are “cars in a parade” or “fruits in a basket.” Stories make the patterns more relatable and help in creating a rich context around what might otherwise be an abstract concept. After your child has made a pattern, ask them to describe it to you. What do they see? What comes next? Why? This forces them to articulate their thought process, thereby improving both their language and critical thinking skills. Your involvement in these patterning activities amplifies their effectiveness. Ask open-ended questions like, “Why did you choose to put the red block there?” or “What do you think comes next?” Your questions can guide them through the reasoning process, making these exercises not just patterning activities but also reasoning activities for preschoolers. By incorporating patterning into playtime, you’re doing more than teaching colors and shapes; you’re instilling the ability to recognize relationships between objects—a skill that forms the basis of logical reasoning and critical thought. Symmetry is not just an aesthetic concept; it’s a brilliant way to cultivate critical thinking in preschoolers. When children recognize or create symmetrical objects or arrangements, they’re learning about balance, equality, and relational properties—core elements in critical thinking preschool activities . Here’s how you can engage your child with symmetry. The easiest way to start is by folding a piece of paper in half and cutting shapes along the folded edge. When you unfold the paper, you’ll have a symmetrical shape. Ask your child what they notice about the two halves. Are they the same or different? Why? Another activity is to place a small divider between two identical sets of blocks. Build a pattern or shape with one set and ask your child to replicate it as a mirror image using the other set of blocks. This not only teaches symmetry but also enhances their observational skills. Take a nature walk and ask your child to find examples of symmetry, like leaves, flowers, or even animals. Discuss what makes these objects symmetrical. This offers a more dynamic, interactive approach to understanding symmetry and engages them in critical thinking games for kids. As always, your involvement and the questions you ask can bring depth to the activity. Why is it easier to find symmetry in some objects than in others? Why do they think symmetry exists in nature? These questions prompt deeper thinking and understanding. Symmetry activities are more than just a game; they provide a foundation for more complex mathematical concepts like geometry. Furthermore, they encourage your child to think about balance and fairness, abstract concepts that have real-world applications. Symmetry activities offer a multi-faceted approach to critical thinking for preschoolers, combining math, nature, and everyday observations into a rich tapestry of learning experiences. Subscribe to Kokotree! Get free parenting tips, news, updates, and content from Kokotree. Sequencing is an invaluable exercise that aids in developing a wide range of skills, from language and literacy to logic and problem-solving. This makes it one of the must-try critical thinking activities for preschoolers. Below are some ways you can approach sequencing with your child: Start simple by using a set of picture cards that tell a story. Scatter them and ask your child to place them in a logical order. This helps them understand the concept of beginnings, middles, and ends, crucial for both storytelling and understanding sequences in daily life. Use everyday routines as an opportunity for sequencing activities. Whether it’s getting dressed, preparing a simple snack, or cleaning up toys, ask your child to describe the sequence of actions needed to complete these tasks. This not only cements their understanding of everyday activities but also naturally integrates critical thinking into their day. During storytime, pause to ask your child what they think will happen next or what came before a specific event. Encourage them to explain their reasoning. This turns storytime into an exercise in prediction and recall, both important components of sequencing and critical thinking for preschoolers. Involve your child in simple cooking or baking activities . Ask them to describe the sequence of steps involved in the recipe. This not only helps in understanding sequencing but also incorporates elements of measurement and timing, adding layers to their critical thinking skills. Your role is to facilitate and challenge. Ask questions like, “What will happen if we change the order of these steps?” or “Why do you think this comes after that?” By doing so, you’re transforming simple sequencing activities into deeper reasoning activities for preschoolers. Sequencing isn’t just for stories or games; it’s a skill your child will use in academic settings and everyday life. By incorporating sequencing into various activities, you’re providing your child with a toolbox of skills for organizing information, problem-solving, and critically thinking about the world around them. Classifying The ability to classify and categorize is fundamental to human cognition and an excellent entry point for critical thinking preschool activities. Classifying allows children to make sense of the world by grouping items based on shared characteristics or qualities. Here are some ways to involve your preschooler in classifying activities: One of the most engaging ways to introduce classification is through animals. Provide your child with a set of toy animals and ask them to group them by various criteria: type (mammals, birds, reptiles), habitat (water, land, air), or even by the number of legs. This exercise not only enhances their understanding of biology but also hones their observation and reasoning skills. Another fun activity involves sorting food items. You could give your child a mix of plastic fruits, vegetables, and junk food items and ask them to separate them into corresponding categories. This also serves as a great opportunity to discuss healthy eating habits . For younger children, color can be the most straightforward attribute to classify. Offer them an assortment of beads, blocks, or other multi-colored items and ask them to sort these based on color. This is a simple yet effective exercise in classification. As your child becomes more proficient, you can introduce multiple levels of classification. For example, they could first sort animals by type and then sort those types by size or diet. This adds layers to their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Remember, your involvement is crucial. Asking questions like, “Why did you decide to group these together?” or “What makes these items similar or different?” can deepen their understanding and turn the activity into a rich discussion. This elevates it from a mere exercise into a critical thinking game for kids. Classification activities offer much more than just an understanding of categories. They help build logical thinking, improve vocabulary, and can even introduce basic scientific concepts. These are all essential stepping stones in developing robust critical thinking skills for your preschooler. By regularly incorporating classifying exercises into your child’s playtime, you are actively helping them construct a framework for understanding the world in a more organized and logical manner. Analogies are one of the more advanced yet highly effective critical thinking activities for kids. They challenge children to identify relationships between disparate things by finding a common thread. While it may seem like a complex skill, it can be broken down into simpler components for preschoolers to understand. Here’s how to make analogies an accessible and engaging activity for your little one. Begin with objects that are obviously related but different, like an apple and an orange. Ask your child to explain how they are similar or different. The goal is to get them thinking about attributes that aren’t immediately obvious, like the fact that both are fruits despite differing in color, taste, and texture. Provide your child with a collection of assorted items and ask them to match them based on one common attribute. For example, a spoon and a fork could be matched because they’re both utensils, even though one is used for scooping and the other for piercing food. As your child becomes more comfortable with the concept, move on to word-based analogies. You could start with opposites like hot/cold or day/night. Ask your child what makes these pairs opposites and to think of other examples. A fun twist on analogies is the “What doesn’t belong?” game. Present your child with a group of three or four items where one item is notably different. Ask them to identify the odd one out and explain why it doesn’t belong. This game turns analogies into critical thinking games for kids that are both educational and engaging. As always, your participation enhances the activity. Ask open-ended questions like, “Why do you think these two are alike?” or “Can you think of other things that are similar in this way?” These questions encourage a deeper exploration of the concept, making it an excellent activity to develop critical thinking skills. Analogies help build a variety of skills including vocabulary, reasoning abilities, and problem-solving skills. They encourage children to make connections between different pieces of information, a critical skill not just in academic settings but in everyday decision-making. By incorporating analogies into your routine, you help your child develop an essential tool for interpreting the world around them, boosting their critical thinking and cognitive abilities. Sorting and Categorizing Sorting and categorizing activities are foundational for preschool-aged children and serve as a cornerstone for developing critical thinking skills. They not only help kids recognize patterns but also teach them how to make educated judgments. Here’s how you can make sorting and categorizing a fun and enlightening experience for your little one. Sorting by shape is one of the simplest ways to begin. Provide your child with an array of different shapes like circles, squares, and triangles. You can use household items like buttons, blocks, or even cut-out paper shapes. Ask your child to separate these items into different piles based on their shapes. Colors offer another straightforward criterion for sorting. You can use colored balls, beads, or toys and ask your child to group them based on their color. This is a simple but effective way to get children to focus on characteristics, thereby introducing them to the basics of categorization. Sorting by size provides a slightly more advanced challenge and introduces the concept of relativity. Give your child a mix of big and small objects, and ask them to sort them into ‘big’ and ‘small’ groups. As they get better at this, you can introduce medium-sized items for a greater challenge. As your child becomes more proficient, you can make the activity more complex by mixing criteria. For instance, they can sort by both color and size, creating groups of small red items, large red items, small blue items, and so on. This type of multi-criteria sorting is a great way to sharpen their critical thinking abilities. Make sure to ask questions during these activities. Queries like, “Why did you put this here?” or “What makes these two items the same?” promote reasoning and dialogue. You can thereby elevate sorting and categorizing from a simple task to one of the essential critical thinking activities for preschoolers. Sorting and categorizing lay the groundwork for mathematical concepts and logical reasoning. These activities train the mind to identify, compare, and analyze objects based on specific characteristics, making them powerful tools in shaping a child’s cognitive abilities. Sorting and categorizing can be as simple or as complex as you make them, but their benefits for critical thinking and overall cognitive development are immense. By incorporating these activities into your child’s routine, you’re setting the stage for more complex intellectual feats as they grow. Counting may appear to be a simple skill, but it’s much more than just reciting numbers. It’s a fundamental aspect of early education that sets the stage for more advanced math and critical thinking skills. Here’s how to make counting a multifaceted learning experience for your preschooler. Start with the basics by using everyday objects like toys, fruits, or even items in a room. Ask your child to count them and tell you how many there are in total. This not only teaches them to associate numbers with quantities but also introduces them to the concept of ‘totality’—an important foundational idea for future math skills. Once your child can count confidently, introduce them to the concept of comparing quantities. Place two groups of objects in front of them and ask questions like, “Which group has more?” or “How many more cars are there than trucks?” This introduces them to the skill of evaluating quantities, an essential part of critical thinking. Turn counting into critical thinking games for kids. Whether it’s counting the number of steps in a staircase as they climb or counting the number of red cars they see while on a drive, games make the counting process engaging and fun. As your child becomes more proficient, you can introduce the concept of skip counting—counting by twos, fives, or tens. This helps them understand multiplication at an early age and strengthens their number sense, paving the way for more complex math skills. For a fun twist, you can play the “Guess the Number” game where you think of a number within a range they can understand, and they have to guess it. This helps them understand the concepts of ‘greater than’ and ‘less than,’ valuable tools for reasoning activities for preschoolers. Simple addition and subtraction can also be introduced through counting. For example, you can start with five apples, take two away, and then ask how many are left. Or you could add two more and ask how many there are now. This helps your child understand the principles of arithmetic in a hands-on manner. Counting isn’t just a math skill; it’s a critical thinking skill. It lays the groundwork for understanding more complex relationships between numbers and fosters logical reasoning skills that will be crucial in later stages of education. By incorporating these various counting activities into your child’s routine, you’ll be helping them develop not just their ability to count but also their critical thinking abilities, making it a quintessential activity for their cognitive development. Comparing Quantities The ability to compare and contrast different quantities is not just a math skill; it’s one of the important activities to develop critical thinking skills. This skill helps children understand relationships between different sets, a critical component for problem-solving and logical reasoning. Here are some ways to explore this concept with your preschooler. Begin with two sets of clearly different quantities. For instance, you could use four apples and two oranges. Ask your child to point out which set has more and which has fewer items. Reinforce the terms “more,” “less,” and “equal” to build their comparative vocabulary. Use day-to-day experiences to create comparative situations. For example, you could ask, “Are there more people in the living room or the kitchen?” or “Do we have more forks or more spoons?” These questions not only hone their observational skills but also make them critically evaluate their surroundings. Use toys or building blocks to physically create sets of different quantities. Ask your child to compare them. This hands-on approach can make abstract concepts more concrete for young minds. Expand the concept of comparison beyond mere numerical quantities. For instance, ask them to compare the heights of different family members , the size of different rooms, or the loudness of different sounds. This broadens the scope of comparison and enhances their critical thinking skills. Introduce critical thinking games for kids that focus on comparing quantities. For example, play a game where they have to divide a set of toys among siblings or friends, ensuring everyone gets an “equal” number. This not only reinforces the concept of comparison but also introduces the idea of fairness. Always remember to ask follow-up questions. Inquire, “How did you know this set has more?” or “What makes you think there are fewer blocks here?” This encourages them to articulate their thought process, deepening their understanding and reasoning abilities. Understanding the skill of comparing quantities is essential in daily decision-making. It aids in evaluating choices and in forming reasoned judgments. Therefore, it is an indispensable skill, relevant not just as a form of critical thinking for preschoolers but as a life skill. Teaching your child to compare quantities provides them with the tools to make better decisions, solve problems , and navigate the world more effectively. It’s a cornerstone activity in developing their overall cognitive abilities. Overall, preschoolers can engage in many different critical thinking activities to help develop their cognitive abilities . By providing your child with opportunities to learn, explore, and think critically, you can help them become more confident and capable learners throughout their lives! Stay Up to Date with Kokotree! Be the first to know about new content launches and announcements. Kokotree News Basic Sign Language for Toddlers 10 Stories That Inspire Coping Skills in Kids Preschool Safety: An Essential Guide for Parents How to Teach Preschoolers First-Principles Thinking How to Teach Preschoolers Second-Order Thinking Coloring for Problem-Solving Development in Preschoolers Featured posts. Sign Up for Kokotree! Start Now! Already have an account? Sign in By continuing, you agree to the Terms of Use . WorkSheets Buddy Download Math, Science, English and Many More WorkSheets Thinking Skills Worksheets For Kindergarten With Pictures | First-Grade Critical Thinking Workbooks PDF Free Printable Thinking Skills Worksheets For Kindergarten With Pictures PDF Download: Critical thinking skills are paramount for a kid’s educational triumph. Being able to solve math problems without understanding the reasoning behind them, and reading fluently without understanding the text are all signs of a lack of critical thinking skills. Hence, rectifying all these mistakes at an early age can change your kids understanding and thinking skills. So make sure to jump into this guide and help your kids participate actively in these ultimate thinking worksheets for free . Thinking Skills Worksheets For Kindergarten With Pictures All subject trainers hold the biggest responsibility of ensuring their learners are experienced in thinking skills. As per the latest analysis, students who excel in problem-solving, which is a part of critical thinking, perform excellently in core subjects like math, reading, and science. These thinking printable worksheets deliver colored image activities, random pictures of body parts and objects exercises, questions, prompts, etc. Also, all these activity sheets may encourage kids to think deeply and make well-informed decisions. Also Download Other Articles like: Opposites Worksheets Kindergarten Mazes Worksheets Free Critical Thinking Worksheets & Printables with Images Furnished various activity-based thinking skills worksheet printables are the best resources for your kid’s brain. Your children can practice thinking in various approaches and discover answers to critical questions in a short span. In the below free printable critical thinking worksheets pdf, mostly you can find the fun activity pages that deal with young brains and make them work a little harder. Also, these free creative thinking skills printable worksheets assist kids in understanding how to consider things from different angles, ask queries, and encounter the best explanations. Do Refer To Similar Worksheet Guides: More or Less Worksheets Letter Tracing Worksheets Free Printable Activities That Improve Student Critical Thinking As a teacher, it’s important to infuse critical thinking mastery in my students. Not only is it crucial for job success, but supports making the right decisions in important moments of life. Almost all our mistakes can be attributed to a shortage of critical thinking. If we look back at the important mistakes that we made in the past, we would still find that they occurred due to a failure to think critically. Thus, it’s essential to nurture students to acquire critical thinking talents. The following are some Thinking Skills Worksheet Activities that can help them reach this goal. Final Thoughts We are hoping that the Thinking Skills Worksheets For Kindergarten With Pictures helped your kids a lot in improving logical reasoning and critical thinking. If you find these kinds of worksheet printables useful for your children’s education and personality development, visit our website @worksheetsbuddy.com regularly and grab everything you require. Share this: Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Leave a Comment Cancel reply Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. All Formats Resource types, all resource types. 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Engaging Pre-KG Worksheets: Fun Tracing shapes Exciting Pre-K Worksheets to Spark Creativity and Curiosity Butterfly Effect by Denise Cassano COMMENTS Critical thinking preschool worksheets Inside: Critical thinking preschool worksheets to download for free! Problem-solving and critical thinking are important skills children in preschool need to develop in order to succeed in school. Include these critical thinking preschool worksheets in your curriculum to give them enough opportunities for practice. You might also like my brand ... Critical Thinking / FREE Printable Worksheets Book Report Critical Thinking Pattern Cut and Paste Patterns Pattern - Number Patterns Pattern - Shape Patterns Pattern - Line Patterns Easter Feelings & Emotions Grades Fifth Grade First Grade First Grade - Popular First Grade Fractions Fourth Grade Kindergarten Worksheets Kindergarten Addition Kindergarten Subtraction PreK Worksheets ... Free Critical Thinking Worksheets for Kids Critical Thinking Worksheets for Kids. Critical Thinking Worksheets are an invaluable educational tool designed to enhance students' critical thinking skills. These worksheets are the perfect platform for students to practice applying logic, reasoning, and evaluation techniques, honing their analytical skills in all subject areas. Free Preschool Critical Thinking Worksheets & Printables All Kinds of Weather Matching Worksheet. Photo Source: www.tlsbooks.com Invite your preschoolers to develop their cr... Check out our great selection of preschool critical thinking worksheets and printables. They're completely free and great to use in the classroom and at home! Free critical thinking worksheets Fact Families/Missing Addend/Open-Ended Worksheets These worksheets help students develop number sense and critical thinking. You can use the blank sheets to focus lessons on student needs. Both addition/subtraction and multiplication/division are included. Just let me know what I can do to help you use my materials. 12 Critical Thinking Activities for Kids These 12 critical thinking games for kids are screen-free, traditional games that can be played with your preschooler anywhere, and with no prep. 1. I Spy. The traditional game of I Spy can be played in many ways e.g. spying objects based on initial sounds ( teaching letters) or colours ( colour recognition ). Critical Thinking Skills for Kids (& How to Teach Them) Debates. This is one of those classic critical thinking activities that really prepares kids for the real world. Assign a topic (or let them choose one). Then give kids time to do some research to find good sources that support their point of view. Finally, let the debate begin! PreK Critical Thinking Worksheets Free These early Math thinking fun pages will help your students learn and practice such important skills as: comparing, matching, sorting, paying attention to details, providing reasoning, analyzing, and so many more. ☀️ 10 pages and 10 different types of tasks will make your practice diverse and engaging. ☀️These worksheets are the pages ... Free Critical thinking skills Worksheets for Kids Critical thinking worksheets help enhance these skills by offering exercises that promote logical reasoning, problem-solving, and creativity. Using these worksheets, learners improve at analyzing, evaluating, and deciding, leading to better academic performance and intellectual independence. Free PreK critical thinking resources This worksheet lets students look at pictures of the four seasons, label them, and then use one word to describe each picture. This worksheet helps students learn the four seasons, learn how to spell the four seasons, and use higher order thinking skills (label, describe) also! This helps introduce adjectives. Enjoy! Free Critical Thinking Worksheets Brain Teasers - A great way to stimulate thinking. Don't worry, they come complete with answer keys. Compare and Contrast - Students examine differences and similarities in a variety situations. Dictionary Practice Worksheets - Practice your dictionary skills. Fact And Opinion - Students determine the validity of a body of work. Critical Thinking Games & Activities for Kids MentalUP offers 150+ critical thinking games besides attention, concentration, logic, language, visual intelligence, and memory games! 🚀 . The best part of the multi-awarded app is all these gamified exercises are developed by pedagogues, academicians, and game designers. 🎓🙌. That's why kids enjoy playing these games a lot; meanwhile ... Free Critical Thinking Skills Worksheets and Workbooks Teaching critical thinking is crucial for student success in core subject areas, and it can begin as young as preschool through the introduction of worksheets featuring games and puzzles. Critical thinking skills are necessary in the 21st century, and these worksheets cover a wide range of logic puzzles and problems, Sudoku, Masyu, and Hidato puzzles, word problems and brain teasers of all ... Critical Thinking for Preschoolers Critical Thinking for Preschoolers. Preschoolers can develop critical thinking skills through preschool age -appropriate activities and games that challenge them to solve problems, make decisions, and analyze information. Engaging in these experiences will teach them to ask questions, reason, and communicate effectively, building a solid ... Work Sheet Library: Critical Thinking 100 Ready-to-Print Student Work Sheets Organized by Grade Level. Click on a grade level folder below to find a library of work sheets that you can use with your students to build a wide variety of critical thinking skills. All the work sheets in this library were provided to Education World by our partners at CriticalThinking.com . 10 Preschool Critical Thinking Activities My Preschooler Loves Act out scenarios and let your child predict the outcomes of their actions. Ask them at each phase of the game if what the characters are going to do is a good idea or a bad idea and why. 5. Food Tasting. Forming an opinion is an important preschool critical thinking skill. Kids have strong opinions about food. Critical Thinking Tests Assess your child's critical thinking skills with our exclusive Critical Thinking Tests (by grade level PreK-6). This resource offers a variety of activities making it an invaluable diagnostic tool for educators and parents alike. Critical thinking forms the bedrock for success in academics and life. Free preschool critical thinking activities These Farm Animal "Who am I? riddles for inferencing activities are a great way for your kindergarteners to work on beginning inferencing skills.What's included:Boom Cards™ Task Critical Thinking Activities for Preschoolers To teach preschoolers critical thinking, introduce open-ended questions, provide hands-on experiences, encourage curiosity, engage in storytelling, promote problem-solving activities, and create an environment where they feel safe to express ideas and make mistakes. Here's a list of critical thinking activities suitable for preschoolers ... 85 Fun Critical Thinking Questions for Kids & Teens Humor is a natural icebreaker that can make critical thinking questions more lighthearted and enjoyable. Of course, most younger kids just like to be silly, so playing upon that can keep them active and engaged. With that said, here are some great questions to get you started: 1. Someone gives you a penguin. Free Kindergarten critical thinking printables Free Kindergarten critical thinking printables. Sponsored. Coding Unplugged: Pixel Puzzlers│Offline Coding for Beginners│Elementary Puzzles. Thinkmode Classroom. $7.00. Design Thinking Projects: Candy Kids Club- Drawing, sketchbook tablet, CTE. Design Thinking Projects. Thinking Skills Worksheets for kindergarten with pictures free pdf download Free Printable Thinking Skills Worksheets For Kindergarten With Pictures PDF Download: Critical thinking skills are paramount for a kid's educational triumph. Being able to solve math problems without understanding the reasoning behind them, and reading fluently without understanding the text are all signs of a lack of critical thinking skills. Free preschool critical thinking anatomy worksheets A fun and interactive way to break the ice with the kiddos! They can work on developing their handwriting skills by writing their name and their favorite color and food. 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