In order to succeed in the world today, children need to be able to think abstractly. This isn’t necessarily something we were taught to do, so how can you help children think abstractly? As the job market continues to shift and robotics are replacing traditional jobs, the ability to think abstractly can give your child the skills that robots can’t replace.
All learning, even rote memorization that occurs in school, requires abstract thinking. Children should learn from an early age how to think logically, abstractly, and effectively. The sooner they can learn this skill, the better. It isn’t always easy to teach children to think big, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. There are ways to help children think abstractly that won’t require you to spend hours upon hours forcing philosophical reasoning on them. Instead, it can be as simple as playing games that help children think big.
How To Help Children Think Logically
Children develop the skills to think logically and abstractly as they age. Research shows that this ability goes hand-in-hand with math skills. Over time, children are able to detect patterns in mathematical equations and take that reasoning and put it to use in their own lives. By the age of 2, children are able to pick up on patterns and quantities. They are also able to pick out patterns in their own lives, from the routine of waking up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, etc.
Your child builds on math skills early on to help think abstractly. The very concept of numbers is abstract. As they age, you will see them start to line up objects in specific orders, picking and choosing which objects they want in which places. This shows that they see patterns, numeration, and abstract ideas, even if they cannot vocalize it just yet.
Your child develops abstract ideas through other forms of education as well, including writing and reading. However, one of the best ways to encourage abstract thinking is to help them notice patterns.
How to Encourage Abstract Thinking
You can help your children build abstract and logical thinking skills by doing many things. Some of the best suggestions include:
- Counting everything that you can
- Teaching children routes and maps
- Providing real-life examples
- Building with blocks and toys
- Taking them on interesting vacations
- Encouraging problem solving
- Classifying toys, foods, families, etc.
- Talking to your child
- Asking open-ended questions that help children think
- Asking developing questions that help children think
- Helping your child ask better questions
- Playing offline games
That last point, playing offline games, is one of the best ways to help your child learn how to think abstractly, ask important questions, and develop his or her own identity. It isn’t an easy thing to do because many games make promises and then don’t deliver.
What we’ve discovered is that children love when they are challenged and can focus on that challenge for a short period of time. This is why games have always been great tools for parents. Whether they need to distract them on long drives or fill time on a rainy Saturday, games have always helped. Children love it when they can solve something, win, or just work towards a solution.
Our system takes the natural inclination towards curiosity and incorporates gameplay. Families who play MindFinity games can start to think in new, exciting ways that are deeper and on a bigger scale than ever before. They can train their imaginations to be able to see limitless possibilities in everything they do.
You can do this without giving them homework, busywork, or hours of lessons. These tactics can actually cause children to feel stifled and limit their imaginations to learn only what they need for school. While that may be beneficial in the short term, in the long term it can actually hurt their job and life opportunities.
There are tools that explain how to help children think abstractly, and MindFinity is one of the best. Based on Opher Brayer’s award-winning multi-discipline talent methodology, MindFinity’s games will have your family dancing, drawing, making music, cooking, doing karate and much more, all while learning the foundations of polymath thinking. This can assist your child in developing talents in a variety of fields, all while cultivating an innovative and creative mind that is ready for the uncertainties of tomorrow’s job market.
Thinking Abstractly Today: Employed Tomorrow
As we move into the future, the jobs market is only going to get more competitive. People stay in the workforce longer but move around a bit more. Every job that opens up gets hundreds of applications. Gone are the days when a good college education or even connections can get them into the workplace. They need something that will set them apart from the crowd. Even now, interviewers and scouts are looking for people who offer something extra: the ability to think innovatively.
As more and more of our workforce is replaced by AI and computers, this is a skill that will become necessary. By teaching your children how to do this now, instead of trying to reprogram their brains when they are older, you are saving them quite a bit of strife.
MindFinity: Games To Help Children Think Big
If you want your child to start thinking abstractly, you have to start small. Research shows that children who are better at recognizing and designing patterns tend to be better at thinking abstractly and logically. When you sign your child up for MindFinity, you and your child will be playing games that have been specifically designed to teach pattern recognition and design.
Our system works in three steps:
- You learn to play simple games offline with your child.
- You play for 5 minutes every day (that’s it!).
- Your child’s imagination grows as they discover ways to build their own games.
At the same time, playing MindFinity will help you to bond with your child. For those 5 minutes every day, you can sit with them and find out how their minds work, how they reason, and what goes on when they make decisions. It will give you the chance to focus on your own abstract and logical thinking. You will be able to work what they learn in these 5-minutes into the rest of your day.
Interested in learning more about how Mindfinity can help your child? Click below to watch our video!
Remember that the ability to think, and to think for yourself, is always going to be one of the biggest commodities in the job market. If you want your child to be set up for success, you need to start as early as possible. The school system is broken, no matter what type of school you sign your child up for – they all use the same outdated methods. While those tactics may have produced good results years ago, we are dealing with a world that is unlike anything we’ve ever encountered before. Workers will be valued not for their abilities to pass tests or remember facts, but for their abilities to think in the abstract, get creative, and go above traditional thinking. So you need to do the same thing.
