The skills of logic and reasoning include an ability to think through problems and apply strategies to solve challenges. These essential skills are part of a child’s early development. In fact they are an important foundation that will later develop competence and maximise the chances of success in academic pursuits. It can be developed at an early age and there are certainly a number of things we can do to help children improve logical thinking.
Here are 8 ways to help children improve logical thinking:
- Create regular opportunities for the child to use logical thinking. For example, assign the student a regular task of watering plants using a choice of containers such as watering can, bucket and cup.
- Each day provide problem solving opportunities with gradually increasing levels of difficulty. For example, a fire alarm is triggered at your house. What do you do? A fire alarm is triggered at a neighbour’s house. What do you do?
- Consistently ensure the child experiences the logical consequences attached to their behaviour choices. Align positive consequences to positive choices and negative consequences to poorer choices, as is evident in the world around them.
- Use questionning techniques that require logical answers. For example, why do we have street signs such “stop” and why do construction workers warn people of dangers.
- When met with a challenge or situation that went wrong, help the child reflect and identify steps that could be taken to prevent the situation if it happens again.
- When reading stories ask the child to predict logical endings ahead of time or even alternative endings that seem logical given the story line, its characters and the context.
- Provide stories, pictures or events that require the child to explain the impact and consequences of variables and change. For example, if it is snowing is the temperature hot or cold? If the sun comes out what clothes will they change?
- Help the child evaluate unsafe situations or events. Identify events or actions that could logically lead to dangerous outcomes.
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