Can she reason? Then she’s ready for “higher level” thinking!

You can develop your child’s ability to think by posing certain questions to her.

Don’t just ask her to repeat what she’s heard or what you’ve told her. Try questions that challenge her to think in new, more complex ways.

Ask your child to:

• Compare and contrast two characters in a story, two songs or two pet animals. How are they similar? Different?

• Classify and sort items like toys, books, food and her clothes—for instance, toys with wheels, or clothes that are blue.

• Summarize a story you’ve read to her or a show she’s just seen on TV. Ask what happened first. What happened next? What happened at the end? Or ask her to give a title to a picture in a magazine.

• Guess what would happen in various situations. For instance, if a character in a story made a different decision; if you press a certain button on a radio or TV; or if you place a cube of ice in a cup of coffee. Or ask how many stuffed animals would fit into a box. Proceed with the “experiment” so she sees the result.

• Make an assumption. Ask your child which box is heavier—a large one or a small one. Or ask what people in various pictures are feeling, based on their expressions.

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