15 Critical Thinking Open-Ended Questions For Kids

I love how my husband so effortlessly talks with my kids using open-ended questions. If it's sitting down and playing Candy Crush (Let's look ahead a couple moves, how do we build a disco ball?) or sitting and playing Lego (What do you think we should build...what kind of pieces do we need?).

What is an open-ended question? It's a question that encourages creative and critical thinking. It requires more than a one-word answer. It promotes further conversation and helps kids to wonder about the world around them.

Here are some starter prompts while playing Lego, building with tooth picks and marshmallows or cooking and baking in the kitchen with your curious child and spark up some conversation.

STEM, STEAM, Open-Ended Questions for Kids to Promote Critical Thinking

Teaching our children to be problem solvers and critical thinkers will help them for their future in every area of their lives. Rather than fixing our children's problems we need them to allow them to come up with solutions to their problems whether it be social relationships, tinkering around the house or going outside in the backyard.

I love the show 'Survivor'. If you have young ones do this as a family. If you have older ones provide them with materials and guidelines and let them have fun. You as a family or your older ones need to set up camp and cook food for yourselves outside and survive the weekend. You can have written challenges and see how your kids and tweens solve the problems. Step back because you are Jeff Probst the one who is observing and asking the questions.