By: Hornville Games February 24, 2021
Play Based learning
Having fun with learning

 

Kids are now inundated with so much information that it’s important to arm them with the ability to sort through the noise and make sense of it all. Building critical thinking doesn’t come naturally and requires not just practice but also exposure to different styles of thinking. It is a skill that can and should be taught at a young age. The game Hornville was created with that intention in mind – to bring fun to better decision-making by creating a fun environment for kids and adults to not only practice critical thinking skills but create an environment for different ways of thinking.

Below is a list of 3 simple ideas to encourage critical thinking in kids without realizing them realizing they are learning and expanding their thinking.

 

  1. Build Confidence

Summarizing their ideas back provides reassurance in their thinking, which builds their confidence. By repeating back their ideas not only provides validation but gives an example of how to make their point more concise.

 

Public speaking for most adults isn’t easy, but it does get easier the more opportunities you get to step out of your comfort zone and do it.  The same goes for most kids. Kids need to build confidence in their thoughts and ideas to find their voice and to know it’s okay to think differently. The good thing about the game Hornville is that is it set in an environment where there’s no such thing as a bad or wrong idea since Hornville isn’t a real place and Unicorns & Rhinos can’t talk! Hornville gives kids the space to think and articulate their ideas. Hearing an adult re-iterate their ideas back to them validates their thinking and starts the process of building confidence in their thinking.

 

  1. Prompt them to think deeper

 

Critical thinking isn’t about arguing, or being strong at debating. It’s about active listening, absorbing information, thinking creatively based on the information you have, and being able to piece together an opinion.

 

So, if you are debating the Bill “Rhinos are proposing: Glitter thrown in public spaces be subject to fines” and you were on team Unicorn (against the idea), you can prompt kids with open-ended questions to extend their thinking such as:

 

  • Why do you think Unicorns care so much about glitter?
  • Who would this negatively affect?
  • If this Bill passes, what do you think could happen next?
  • Why do you think Rhino’s don’t like glitter celebrations?
  • If this Bill passes, how would this Bill be enforced?

 

  1. Think about the other side

 

When the proposed Bill Card is flipped, kids will naturally feel biased to one side or another based on their preferences. Getting them to speak to both sides, allows them to practice empathy. In the gameplay, Hornville roles are selected at random. It is not uncommon for kids to want to change teams, don’t let them! The point is to make sure that every player has to think outside of their comforts and force them to see from the perspective of those that they don’t necessarily agree with.

 

There is a timer, you don’t have to use it.  There are rules, you don’t have to use them. Yes, this is a game but it’s also a tool.  The idea of Hornville was born with the hope that we could help generate a fun environment for kids and adults to learn and grow.

 

Have fun with it and the crazy that kids say!