Critical Thinking Activities for Kids

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking skills are one of the most important things we can instill in students, and that is perhaps one of the main reasons we become teachers in the first place. At Educational Innovations, we provide tools to help you challenge and inspire your students so they will develop those skills. Hand them an Energy Tube or Energy Ball and ask them what activates the light and sound show. Place an ice cube on each of the Amazing Ice Melting Blocks at room temperature. One ice cube instantly begins to melt and is totally gone in about 90 seconds while the other ice cube shows no evidence of melting. Can your students tell you why? When the Poly Density Bottle is shaken, blue and white beads mix as expected. However, when allowed to settle, the beads separate, white at the top and blue at the bottom. Then, the two separated colored beads slowly come together in the center of the liquid. Let your students discuss theories behind this phenomenon!
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  • Euler's Disk

    Euler's Disk

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    Observe the hypnotic display of light and continually changing sound.
    $39.95
  • Revolution Top

    Revolution Top

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    Take it for a spin!
    $9.95
  • Horizontal Hand Boiler Demonstration

    Horizontal Hand Boiler Demonstration

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    Transfer liquid back and forth using the heat of your hand! Amazing!
    $9.95
  • Drinking Bird

    Drinking Bird

    Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon (32 reviews)
    Great centerpiece for class discussion or laboratory exploration. How does it work?
    $5.95–$64.95
  • Handboiler

    Handboiler

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    Great vapor pressure demonstration!
    $5.95–$59.95
  • Amazing Ice Melting Blocks

    Amazing Ice Melting Blocks

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    One of the most striking thermal energy demonstrations we have seen!
    $21.95
  • Wooden Car Kit

    Wooden Car Kit

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    The potential energy of stretched elastic is converted into kinetic energy of motion.
    $8.95
  • Nitinol Memory Wire by the Foot

    Nitinol Memory Wire by the Foot

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    Bend it, drop it into hot water and watch it return to its original shape!
    $5.25–$24.95
  • Nitinol Memory Wire Samples (pk of 10)

    Nitinol Memory Wire Samples (pk of 10)

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    Bend the wire, drop it in hot water and watch!
    $6.95
  • Rattlebacks

    Rattlebacks

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    A half-ellipsoid object carved so that it will spin in only one direction.
    $7.95–$34.95
  • Choositz Decision Balls

    Choositz Decision Balls

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    One ball bounces high while the other hits the floor and stops immediately.
    $8.95
  • Energy Ball

    Energy Ball

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    All you need to safely introduce your students to electric energy.
    $3.95
  • Smashing! Steel Sphere Demo Kit

    Smashing! Steel Sphere Demo Kit

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    Graphically illustrate the conversion of mechanical energy into heat energy.
    $28.95
  • Seismic Accelerator (Astro-Blaster Multiple Collision Accelerator)

    Seismic Accelerator (Astro-Blaster Multiple Collision Accelerator)

    Awesome demonstration of the Law of Conservation of Energy.
    $13.50
  • Ferrofluid Preform Display Cell

    Ferrofluid Preform Display Cell

    Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon (8 reviews)
    Demonstrate the incredible properties of this amazing liquid.
    $39.95
  • Magnetic Accelerator

    Magnetic Accelerator

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    Great for open-ended discovery!
    $
  • Buzzing Stunt Magnets (Set of 2)

    Buzzing Stunt Magnets (Set of 2)

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    This is a great puzzler for students.
    $3.95
  • Floating Ring Magnet Set

    Floating Ring Magnet Set

    Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon (16 reviews)
    This amazingly simple ring magnet set is a great demonstration of magnetic fields.
    $4.95
  • Magnetic Field Viewer Film

    Magnetic Field Viewer Film

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    This micro-encapsulated film enables students to view a static magnetic field.
    $10.95–$32.95
  • Pumice Samples

    Pumice Samples

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    Explore and observe the product of an actual volcano.
    $5.95–$39.95
  • Density Paradox (set of two)

    Density Paradox (set of two)

    Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon (1 review)
    This is an awesome discrepant event for your most advanced density students!
    $14.95
  • Steel Sphere Density Kit

    Steel Sphere Density Kit

    Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon (15 reviews)
    Great for teaching the skills of observation and deduction!
    $29.95
  • U-Tube Challenge

    U-Tube Challenge

    Used to develop critical thinking skills from middle school to AP classes.
    $37.87
    *Backordered: 1/27/2025
  • Mixture Separation Challenge

    Mixture Separation Challenge

    Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon Review star icon (8 reviews)
    Students must develop a method for separating the plastic beads.
    $22.95
    *Backordered: 1/27/2025
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Critical Thinking Learning Materials and Activities

As teachers, we want our students to be inquisitive. But what does it mean to "think like a scientist?" A key component is critical thinking. Learning materials that help your students to actively consider information, assess the validity of data, and form their own conclusions are an ideal way to bring critical thinking into your classroom.

Whether your students are trying to figure out why the beads float at different levels in our Poly Density Kit or are wondering which scientific principles are at work with our Atmospheric Mat, these critical thinking learning materials are bound to improve their skills and understanding of scientific phenomena. We agree with the scholar who wrote, "The value of science education might not always be in the facts, but in the thinking." Get your students thinking critically with activities from Educational Innovations!