In the shuffle, it’s very easy to forget to check in with our little thinkers to get their take on the merriment and festivities. In jumping in with both feet, are we missing an opportunity to develop their thinking skills and get a bird’s eye view of what’s going on in their minds?

We start to believe that in order to get anything important done, to learn anything of consequence, we have to be serious about it. There are so many ways for a child to learn philosophy through play, and so many reasons why philosophy needs to be an integral part of a child’s learning.

Some will jump in with both feet and gobble up big questions without hesitation. Others will be kind of “meh” about it, and need a nudge here and there. In the latter case, it’s easy to get frustrated and discouraged, but there are several things to keep in mind while you try to encourage a child’s taste for critical thinking

Spooky season is at hand, and like most holidays, it’s a wonderful opportunity to build some thinking skills and have some fun with big questions. While you’re decorating, putting together costumes, and stocking up on treats, why not throw a few brilliant discussions into the mix?

We have so many reasons to be grateful for engaged parents, supportive teachers, enriching communities, and for our own creative team. It takes a village to raise amazing thinkers, and we’re very lucky to have such a big one. However, if we’re in the midst of being thankful, we also need to include kids themselves on our list.

Fall is just around the corner, and in some areas, thinkers are already seeing things starting to change. Temperatures are cooling, leaves are falling, and plants and animals are making changes themselves. All of this presents the perfect opportunity to harvest a little bit of critical thinking and great conversation with young minds.

We’re always saying that philosophy with kids can happen anywhere, anytime, and that includes in the kitchen. Food is such a universal topic, an expression of culture that crosses age brackets. It’s also a tasty way into critical thinking with little young minds.

Our animal companions are more than just cold noses, bright eyes, and wiggly tails. They’re a source of inspiration for some pretty fantastic conversations!

It’s a tall order, isn’t it, to not only keep kids safe and healthy, but also encourage awareness and dialogue? Where do we start? What do we do first, especially when we as parents are also overwhelmed with all the world has for us right now? Don’t we want to get this right, so that our kids have the best chance possible?

Hands up if you and your little thinker have emerged from hibernation, scraped off the frost, and are now ready for some big ideas and big fun!

It seems like such a simple thing to want for a kid, but it’s extraordinarily difficult to maintain, even in the best of times, for both our kids and ourselves. It goes without saying that these are not the best of times.

“Philosophy” seems like a big, serious word for a big, serious practice, with all kinds of emotional and intellectual baggage attached. Even just the mention of it intimidates a lot of adults, conjuring images of ancient thinkers in togas, or academics with furrowed brows. Philosophy feels like something deep, cerebral, and even tiring.

And maybe it is…for adults.

How does your little thinker learn? It’s tempting to focus on what they’re learning, but have you ever really watched to see how their mind works, how their personality mingles with the way they study the world around them?

Even tiny wee kids have big thoughts about plants and trees, and there’s certainly no lack of inspiration to be found in their surroundings. Encourage your little thinker to branch out with their ideas, and you won’t be-leaf how your conversations with them will blossom.

Here’s the thing we, as adults, overlook: doing philosophy feels far riskier to us than it does to younger thinkers. Kids, especially little ones, don’t balk at taking these kinds of risks. Big questions aren’t daunting, jumping into conversations isn’t a big deal, and potentially looking a little silly doesn’t really phase them.

In our minds, there’s no better group to which a writer or publisher can devote their time and energy. Along with these challenges come many, many rewards.

Yes, even with a clicky-flashy device in hand, a kiddo can (and should) be taught to slow down, and there are “slow apps” out there that are more than just frantic flash and sparkle, and that are still engaging and exciting.

Our kids need to be well-rounded, adaptable, and innovative in order to thrive in this our current circumstances. They need social-emotional intelligence and global awareness, as well as the ability to question and problem-solve. Fostering an appreciation and fondness when our kids are little means that they’ll be more likely to keep at least a toe or two dipped in the humanities as they grow, so they can enjoy the benefits.

Right about now, it seems as though empathy, compassion and connection are in short supply. If there’s a way to help our kids keep these things at the front of their minds, why not make it a priority? If it helps us grown-ups to recapture some of our sense of “we”, then all the better!

Changing our minds is about being open to new ideas or ways of doing things. It’s being curious and flexible enough to give new ideas a chance, while still being critical and skeptical before accepting and adopting them. Changing our minds involves being nimble, adaptable, and willing to see and evaluate all kinds of possibilities. It’s knowing when it’s justified to hold onto something, and when it’s necessary to let go of it.