Children who develop this type of thinking have brains like an intelligent warehouse with various categories. When new knowledge emerges, it is automatically labeled and stored, and can be quickly retrieved when needed through a clear pathway. Knowledge from different fields can be assembled like Lego blocks.
The nature of structured thinking is to transform discrete information into modular, assemblable knowledge. According to experts, spending 30 minutes each day can help children exercise their brains at home. Especially from the age of six, this is an important stage to build the foundation for thinking through learning and play.
For children at this stage, it’s like receiving a new set of Legos. The focus is not on building a perfect model, but on learning to recognize the shapes of the bricks, sorting them by color, and understanding the steps in the instruction book. What parents need to do is turn daily life into a place to practice structured thinking, allowing children to learn from anything through these eight basic methods.
Develop thinking through daily life
Before a snack, ask your child to sort a mixture of nuts into almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc. This small activity helps children develop sorting skills and subtly shapes their perception of structure and organization in the world around them. Children learn to recognize the different characteristics of objects, thereby developing their logical and intuitive thinking abilities.
Moreover, sorting nuts also helps children become familiar with the concept of groups and types. Children understand that different types of nuts have distinct characteristics, from shape and size to flavor.
Additionally, guide your child to arrange items in a shopping cart, requesting that they place yogurt upright to prevent leaks, put eggs in separate boxes, and place puffed food items on top. Don’t underestimate this action, mom!
By distinguishing between “fragile items, pressure-sensitive items, and items that need to be refrigerated,” a multi-dimensional sorting criterion is established. Children learn to handle food carefully and develop critical thinking skills as they decide on the best arrangement for food preservation.
Image source: Pinterest.
Visualize images from picture books
When reading picture books, don’t just stop at storytelling. For example, after reading “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” ask your child to draw a “chain of events”: egg under the moon → caterpillar comes out in the sun → eats different foods each day → forms a cocoon → turns into a butterfly.
Then, use magnetic tiles to stick each link onto a whiteboard, shuffle the order, and let your child rearrange them. This exercise can enhance logical sorting skills better than simply retelling the story.
Make the thinking process concrete
First, assemble the official shape according to the design, then disassemble it for free creation. When playing with Legos, alternate between two modes: “I want to build a fire station following the steps” and “I want to use these parts to invent a flying house,” allowing children to experience the path of “imitating a structure first → then creating.”
Images help children imagine and learn better.
Plan learning according to a schedule
Use a sand timer to time toy cleanup. If your child finishes tidying up in three minutes, teach them to tell an extra story.
Use colorful calendar stickers to mark fixed weekly activities (swimming class on Tuesday, visiting grandma on Saturday) so that children can sense the existence of a “plan.”
Ages six to twelve are considered a good time to build scaffolding for thinking. At this point, children start learning knowledge systematically, much like a construction team with steel and cement, needing to be taught how to build a knowledge system rather than just assembling bricks.
Draw a knowledge tree
Drawing a knowledge tree is a creative and fun activity that helps children systematize and link their acquired knowledge. Simultaneously, it promotes their creativity and ability to express ideas.
Ask your child to draw: the tree trunk (bridge structure), branches (historical background → architectural features → cultural significance), and leaves (connections to mathematics, art, and other subjects).
Drawing a knowledge tree.
Method of writing about daily occurrences
Before writing, determine the three-act structure of “Conflict-Escalation-Resolution.”
For instance, when your child writes about “The Most Unforgettable Event,” instead of starting with “One day…,” it’s better to state the conflict directly: “When I saw the pen broken into two pieces in the drawer, my palm suddenly started sweating…”
Linking different subjects
On rainy days, moms may want to discuss this topic with their children in the form of different subjects.
Science: How is rain formed?
Language: Use metaphors to describe the sound of rain.
Mathematics: Measure the rainfall in half an hour.
History: How did people in the past cope with floods?
Linking different subjects.
Divide tasks
Upgrade packing school bags into project management: Step one is to take everything out, step two is to sort by topic/frequency of use, step three is to design storage partitions (frequently used compartment, backup compartment), and step four is to establish a daily inspection process.
Moms should encourage children to plan family trips (planning the itinerary → allocating the budget → establishing an emergency plan).
Training structured thinking is like planting a tree. Plant the seeds for children before the age of six (cognitive sorting), prune the branches and trunk between the ages of six and twelve (establishing systems), and the tree will naturally branch out after the age of twelve (creative application).
Dividing learning tasks.
There’s no need to pursue immediate results. What’s important is to spend 30 minutes each day doing these three things with your child:
– Labeling information (today’s knowledge belongs to which “drawer”).
– Drawing diagrams for ideas (using graphics to organize logical relationships)
– Finding teammates to solve problems (which old knowledge can solve new problems)
This method helps children develop their brains, cultivate intelligence, and benefit their learning process.
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