Critical thinking · lesson 1 of 24 · free

What is critical thinking? — Critical thinking for kids

Critical thinking means thinking clearly and fairly. A critical thinker does not believe every rumour or decide in a hurry: they ask how we know, check the facts, listen to both sides and compare the options. The word “critical” here does not mean finding faults in people — it means looking carefully at ideas. Everyone can learn it, and it gets stronger with practice.

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Thinking tip

How do you know? — “check before you believe, think before you decide”

  1. A critical thinker asks “How do you know?”, checks the facts first, listens to both sides, looks for reasons and thinks before deciding.
  2. Not critical thinking: believing every rumour, deciding in a hurry, hearing only one side, copying what everyone does, sharing without checking.
  3. A new fact can change the answer — a good thinker changes their mind with proof.

Use it for: News from friends, posts online, adverts, arguments, homework answers and big choices.

Worked example: 🧠 Critical thinker or not: someone who trusts any website? → not critical thinking

  1. A critical thinker checks who made a website before trusting it.
  2. Trusting any website without checking is not critical thinking.

Check: Try it: for one day, ask “How do you know?” (politely) about three things you hear, and note the answers ✓

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✏️ Practice

Work it out in your head or on paper, type the answer and press Check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.

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🏁 Lesson 1 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

🏅 Sign in with Google to earn the 🧠 Clear Thinker badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 6 lessons of Part 1 · Ask good questions. You can still take the test without signing in.

🖨️ Critical Thinking Worksheet: What Is Critical Thinking

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