Thinking Traps Worksheet for Kids

Critical thinking lesson 17: Thinking traps: “everyone does it” and more · Set 104 · 40 questions

Thinking tip (Spot the trap): Everyone does it: “The video has a million likes, so it must be right.” One means all: “One cat scratched me, so all cats are mean.” Lucky charm: “I used this pen and got full marks, so it is a magic pen.” Attacking the person: “Her plan is silly because she is the youngest.” Fair reasons come from tests, measurements and checked facts.

1. 1.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “it has lots of likes”? (a) a fair reason (b) a thinking trap
2. 2.🚦 Your friends are all crossing on a red light. What do you do? (a) run fast (b) follow them (c) close your eyes (d) wait for green
3. 3.True or false: “tests show it works” is a thinking trap. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.Which of these is a fair reason? (a) it happened once (b) one was bad, so all are (c) it was measured twice (d) my lucky pen did it
5. 5.True or false: “it has lots of likes” is a fair reason. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.Which of these is a thinking trap? (a) one was bad, so all are (b) the numbers prove it (c) it was measured twice (d) checked facts support it
7. 7.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “The video has a million likes, so it must be right.” (a) lucky charm (b) attacking the person (c) everyone does it (d) one means all
8. 8.True or false: “I wore my blue socks and we won, so the socks bring wins.” is the “lucky charm” trap. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) the rule book says so (b) one was bad, so all are (c) everyone is doing it (d) it has lots of likes
10. 10.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “One boy from that school was rude, so all of them are rude.” (a) everyone does it (b) lucky charm (c) one means all (d) attacking the person
11. 11.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) it happened once (b) one was bad, so all are (c) mocking who said it (d) it was measured twice
12. 12.True or false: “The video has a million likes, so it must be right.” is the “lucky charm” trap. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.True or false: “tests show it works” is a fair reason. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.True or false: “The first episode was dull, so the whole series is dull.” is the “attacking the person” trap. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “it was measured twice”? (a) a fair reason (b) a thinking trap
16. 16.Which of these is a thinking trap? (a) it was measured twice (b) checked facts support it (c) mocking who said it (d) the numbers prove it
17. 17.Which of these is a fair reason? (a) one was bad, so all are (b) it happened once (c) everyone is doing it (d) tests show it works
18. 18.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) tests show it works (b) it was measured twice (c) one was bad, so all are (d) the numbers prove it
19. 19.🙅 Instead of attacking the person, a fair thinker… (a) calls them names (b) laughs at them (c) checks the idea itself (d) walks away
20. 20.👍 A post has thousands of likes. Does that prove it is true? (a) only on weekends (b) yes, always (c) yes, if it is long (d) no, likes aren’t proof
21. 21.True or false: “it happened once” is a thinking trap. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) mocking who said it (b) it happened once (c) one was bad, so all are (d) the numbers prove it
23. 23.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “mocking who said it”? (a) a thinking trap (b) a fair reason
24. 24.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “everyone is doing it”? (a) a thinking trap (b) a fair reason
25. 25.🍀 You wore red and won a race. Did the red shirt make you win? (a) only on Sundays (b) yes, red is fast (c) yes, for sure (d) no, just a coincidence
26. 26.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “the rule book says so”? (a) a thinking trap (b) a fair reason
27. 27.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “the numbers prove it”? (a) a fair reason (b) a thinking trap
28. 28.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “one was bad, so all are”? (a) a fair reason (b) a thinking trap
29. 29.True or false: “everyone is doing it” is a fair reason. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “Everybody in class believes it, so it must be true.” (a) attacking the person (b) everyone does it (c) lucky charm (d) one means all
31. 31.True or false: “Don’t listen to his science idea — he can’t even play football.” is the “one means all” trap. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.True or false: “my lucky pen did it” is a fair reason. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “The first episode was dull, so the whole series is dull.” (a) lucky charm (b) everyone does it (c) attacking the person (d) one means all
34. 34.True or false: “It rained after I washed my bike, so washing it brings rain.” is the “lucky charm” trap. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.True or false: “Why trust her answer? She wears old shoes.” is the “one means all” trap. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “I used this pen and got full marks, so it is a magic pen.” (a) everyone does it (b) one means all (c) lucky charm (d) attacking the person
37. 37.True or false: “the rule book says so” is a fair reason. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.Which of these is a thinking trap? (a) the numbers prove it (b) many trials agree (c) everyone is doing it (d) the rule book says so
39. 39.🪤 Which thinking trap is this? “I failed one test, so I am bad at everything.” (a) attacking the person (b) lucky charm (c) one means all (d) everyone does it
40. 40.🪤 Thinking trap or fair reason: “tests show it works”? (a) a fair reason (b) a thinking trap

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