Helen Law (sharing thoughts)

What is the difference between critical and creative thinking?

Critical thinking is thinking that is based in reason, logic, and research. It is thinking that is used for formulating inferences, calculations, decisions, and solutions.  Creative thinking is thinking that is directed toward new ideas, innovative techniques and strategies.

Creative thinking is described as making and communicating connections to:

* Think of many possibilities, varied things that could be done

* Think and experience in various ways and use different points of view

* Think of new and unusual possibilities and selecting alternatives

Critical thinking is described as analyzing and developing possibilities to:

* Compare and contrast many ideas, improve and refine ideas

* Problems that might occur and make effective decisions and judgments

* Steps that they will need to accomplish the task

Creative and Critical thinking is a skill that children develop as they progress in school. Children are eager learners and part of growing up is developing thinking and reasoning skills.  Development of these  skills emerge when adults and children seek out answers to questions and problems together.

Parents and teachers are in the position to encourage children to develop creative, problem-solving skills.  One of the simplest and easiest way is by asking questions that is thought- provoking to enable children to think for themselves.

This allow them to come up with their own ideas or try a variety of solutions until they find one that works for them. The learning process becomes fun for the children.   

Teaching creative /critical thinking is an ongoing process. The most important thing we can teach our children is to value them and to allow them to think freely.

Unless our children have a basic sense of self-worth, it is unrealistic to expect them to approach challenges and problem-solving with confidence.

When our children feel they are valued, they are more likely to feel capable, competent and in control.

Young children are great creative thinkers; they are constantly using their imaginations to hold "conversations" with their toys, teddy bears, dolls etc.

Creative thinking is not just about imagination, it is important  for problem solving.

Children who are creative/critical thinkers; when they encounter a problem, they are able to find ways to solve it without being told what to do.

It is important to encourage children to be creative in many ways: coloring books, music and dance lessons, and participating in educational field trips etc.

Field trips to new places such as the library, fire station, bread factory etc. - offer excellent opportunities for learning.

Educational trips stimulates children's sense of wonder and curiosity. Even when the place seems boring to adults such as a fruit stand, it can hold the children's interest.

Hand-on experiences are especially exciting because they let children use their senses to explore, to  make their own observations and ask their own questions.

Creative & Critical Thinking Exercises:  

Riddles :

Riddles help the children think out of the box. However, make sure that the riddles are suitable for their age.

Puzzles:

Simple jigsaw puzzles, which are supposed to be solved by joining different pieces to create a picture, help in inculcating problem solving skills in children.

Games:

Irrespective of whether indoors or outdoor games such as treasure hunt, building trust activities are very useful in promoting strategic thinking in children.

Team Challenge:

Children tend to associate team challenge with fun while they learn. The activities promote creative and critical thinking skills.

Interactive activities:

Quiz, inculcate critical thinking an important activity which can instill some important knowledge in children. Brainstorming for creative solutions

To your parenting success

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