Logical thinking is an essential skill that should be cultivated in children from a young age. Without the ability to analyze and connect information effectively, students often struggle with academic subjects, especially in areas like mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and other precise sciences.
In this article, Mathema online school explores ways to enhance logical thinking in children and shares some engaging logic puzzles.
What is Logical Thinking?
Logical thinking involves processing information by relying on existing facts. When we say a child is capable of “thinking logically,” it means they excel at analyzing information, considering all the facts, and identifying solutions to problems.
You might have noticed that solving “logic puzzles” often requires an unconventional approach. To find the right answer, you need to view the problem from a different perspective. Developing this ability is the essence of logical thinking.
Why Should You Develop Your Child’s Logical Thinking?
Being able to think logically can influence a child’s academic performance and future career success. In school, students are required to manage vast amounts of information and apply creative problem-solving. Logical and critical thinking skills are vital in these situations. A logically thinking child can absorb new information more effectively, organize it, and apply it when needed.
Consider the example of a student tackling a geometry issue at home. They need to analyze the known data in the issue and align it with formulas that provide a solution.
If a child has a good memory, they might recall the formulas used by their teacher in class and attempt to solve the problem using them. Alternatively, they might use their logical thinking skills to work through the problem independently.
When a student fails to grasp an explanation, misses key information in class, or skips a lesson, logical thinking enables them to independently decipher the material. This self-sufficiency is a hallmark of successful students, giving them an edge over their peers.
How to Develop Logical Thinking?
Sometimes, school alone isn’t enough to fully develop logical thinking. School curricula, designed for group instruction, often minimize individual attention and the one-on-one time that a teacher can spend with each student. But mastering logical thinking requires more than just memorizing formulas.
Consider a Math Tutor
Many parents choose to enhance their children’s education by enrolling them in extracurricular activities like solving mathematical problems for olympiads, learning programming, or working with a tutor. This approach is excellent for fostering critical and creative thinking as well as logical reasoning.
Parents often seek out tutors from Mathema’s online school to help develop their children’s logical thinking, assist with homework, and prepare for exams. During the initial diagnostic session, the tutor evaluates the student’s knowledge level and customizes a lesson plan tailored to their needs. Students typically see an improvement in their school grades after just 5-7 tutoring sessions. You can learn more about the diagnostic session on our website.
Solve Logic Puzzles Together
You can find many websites offering intriguing logic puzzles for kids of different ages. Tackling these puzzles is an excellent way to learn to think outside the box, as they require different approaches from the usual school tasks. Books with logic puzzles, tailored to various age groups, are also a great resource.
Play Board Games
Chess is one of the best games for developing logical thinking. It can be played on smartphones, computers, or in person, and there are plenty of video tutorials for kids available online. You don’t need to join a club or aim to become a chess champion — just understanding the basic rules and playing together occasionally can be very beneficial. Other board games like Monopoly or Mafia are also great for middle school students and can be just as effective in developing strategic thinking skills.
10 Popular Logic Puzzles for Beginners
These straightforward puzzles are great for kindling a child’s interest in logical challenges.
Problem 1
In a garden, there is a birch tree. It has 10 branches. Each branch has another 10 smaller branches. Each small branch has 5 leaves. Next to each leaf, there is one apple. How many apples are there in total?
Problem 2
You are faced with two doors. One leads to hell, the other to heaven. There are two guards. One always tells the truth, the other always lies. How can you find the way to heaven if you can only ask one question?
You should ask: “If I were to ask the other guard which door leads to heaven, what would he say?” Then choose the opposite door.
Problem 3
In one room, there are three light bulbs. In another room, there are three switches. How can you determine which switch corresponds to each bulb if you can only enter the room with the bulbs once?
Turn on one switch for 5 minutes. Turn on another switch for 1 minute, and leave the third switch off. Then go into the room and feel the temperature of each bulb. The hottest bulb corresponds to the first switch, the warm one to the second, and the cold one to the third.
Problem 4
A father and his two sons go to the forest for hunting. They come across a river and a small boat that can only carry the father or two sons at a time. How can all three get to the other side?
First, the two sons cross the river. Then, one son returns and gives the boat to the father. The father crosses the river and gives the boat to the first son. The son then returns to pick up his brother.
Problem 5
Once, a girl dropped her ring into her coffee during breakfast, but it stayed dry. How is this possible?
The girl dropped her ring into a jar of ground coffee.
Problem 6
There are 5 apples in a basket. How can you distribute them among 5 friends so that one apple remains in the basket?
Give one apple to each of the first four friends, and give the last apple along with the basket to the fifth friend.
Problem 7
What number did the car take up in the parking lot?
87. To understand the logic, flip the picture upside down.
Problem 8
Two boys met in one train car. One says he always rides in the fifth car from the end, and the other says he always rides in the fifth car from the front. How many cars does the train have?
The train has 9 cars.
