Encourage critical thinking through play

06 Feb 2026

Discover how games can boost your child's critical thinking skills and enhance their cognitive development through fun activities.

Now the perfect time to enjoy some gameplay with your kids, helping them develop a range of valuable skills they can use at school and beyond.

In today’s fast-paced world, fostering critical thinking skills in children is more important than ever. Parents can play a vital role in nurturing these abilities, and one of the most effective ways to do so is through engaging games. Chess, along with various other activities, can significantly enhance your child's cognitive development and problem-solving skills.

Explore the benefits of critical thinking and discover some activities that you and your children can do together to help develop these important skills.

Benefits of developing critical thinking skills

Developing critical thinking skills offers numerous advantages for children, particularly those in primary school. Here are some key benefits:

• Enhanced problem-solving skills: Critical thinking encourages children to analyse situations, evaluate options, and devise effective solutions.
• Improved academic performance: Studies show that children who engage in critical thinking activities tend to perform better academically, especially in subjects like maths and science.
• Increased creativity: Engaging in games that require strategic thinking fosters creativity as children learn to approach problems from multiple angles.
• Greater independence: Children who think critically are more likely to take initiative and seek out information independently.
• Emotional resilience: Learning to cope with wins and losses in games builds emotional strength and helps children manage stress effectively.
• Social skills development: Many games promote teamwork and communication, helping children develop essential social skills.

Games and activities to foster critical thinking

Below are some examples of games and activities that children can play to develop critical thinking skills:

Games

• Strategy board games: Games like chess, checkers, Risk, and Settlers of Catan encourage planning, memory, and strategic thinking.
• Group board games (e.g. Monopoly): These games often involve strategy, negotiation, and planning, all of which enhance critical thinking.
• Puzzles and brain teasers: Jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, or logic puzzles develop problem-solving, patience, and critical thinking skills.
• Building blocks (e.g. LEGO): These toys foster creativity while encouraging planning and structural reasoning.
• Mystery bag game: Children use deduction skills to identify objects based on sensory details, enhancing observational skills.
• Strategy video games: Games like Civilization, StarCraft, or Age of Empires teach long-term planning, adaptability, and resource management in dynamic environments.

Encouraging children to engage in games like chess can lead to significant cognitive advancements. As they navigate through challenges on the board or in other games, they learn valuable lessons about strategy, patience, and resilience.

Other activities

• Debating or public speaking: Enhances critical thinking, planning, and confidence while improving communication and emotional resilience.
• Creative problem-solving: Activities like escape rooms or design challenges, foster teamwork, innovation, and strategic thinking.
• Role-playing scenarios: Encourage children to solve real-world problems through pretend play, such as discussing how they would tackle environmental issues.
• Open-ended questions: Engage children in discussions about hypothetical situations to stimulate creative thinking.
• Martial Arts: Practices like karate or judo build discipline, focus, and strategic decision-making while fostering emotional control and resilience.
• Coding and robotics: Learning to code or build robots improves logical reasoning, creativity, and perseverance.
• Creative writing and storytelling: Crafting stories fosters imagination, planning, and focus while enhancing emotional expression.
• Musical instrument practice: Learning an instrument builds memory, patience, and concentration through repetitive skill refinement.
• STEM Competitions: Participating in science fairs, maths Olympiads, or engineering challenges strengthens analytical thinking, perseverance, and collaborative skills.

By incorporating any of these activities into a child's routine, can not only make learning fun but also equip them with essential life skills that will benefit them academically and socially.