Nurturing Critical-Thinking Skills from the Classroom to the Dinner Table

For Michael, arming his kids with critical-thinking skills has been a key focus in a world that widely espouses ideals he disagrees with. He knows that the right books go a long way toward launching discussions that nurture these skills in his children.

Michael uses books like Tuttle Twins for kids to start conversations about the topics they present, their context, and examples from their own lives. As a homeschool father, he knows education doesn’t have to stop after school time.

Here are some tips that will help you learn from what Michael has discovered as a homeschool parent in a world where he faces challenges on a daily basis.

Choosing books that teach critical thinking

Books that teach critical thinking take different approaches, depending on what the teacher’s core goal is. Some examples include identifying logical fallacies, understanding cognitive biases, evaluating sources, or improving decision-making skills. The Tuttle Twins series offers a well-rounded list of books that supports all of these!

After identifying what you want your kids to work on, you can start seeking books that include worksheets, cover real-world scenarios, or include discussion questions instead of merely theory. For example, the Tuttle Twins books also have accompanying workbooks to help guide discussions and support learning critical thinking.

Finally, you’ll want to match the level of complexity to where your child stands. The benefit of the Tuttle Twins series is that it explains complex ideas in a way even younger kids can understand, so these books span a wide age range.

Launching Discussions from the Classroom at the Dinner Table

Books that teach critical thinking are a great conversation starter at the dinner table — if you know how to go about this. Start by asking big, open-ended questions that don’t have an answer that’s right or wrong. For example:

• What would you have done if you experienced the same challenge as the main characters?
• Do you think the book’s author tried to trick you?
• How can we relate this story to what’s happening in the world around us?
• Why do the different characters see the same events in different lights?
• What do we do when the facts cause us to change our minds?
• What did you take for granted in the situation presented in the story?
• How did your background shape your view of the situation beforehand?
• What’s a creative solution the characters didn’t try and what do you think the results might have been?
• What would happen if everyone acted the way the main characters acted?
• How can we decide what’s fair?

Whenever you turn dinner time into a special moment with your kids, you’re creating memories that last a lifetime. Books that teach critical thinking like the Tuttle Twins series are such an excellent way to do this because your kids will learn even outside the classroom.

When kids spend time with their parents learning and talking about anything, they grow even closer, becoming more willing to share challenges they’re facing in their own lives. Special moments like these are irreplaceable!