Goal	To introduce and develop critical, analytical and creative thinking skills. Empowering students to analyze information, question assumptions, and make reasoned judgments.
Skills	Problem-Solving, Decision-Making, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Thinking, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking
Time	2,5–3 h
Group size	10-15 participants
Materials	Activity 2: cards with criteriaActivity 3: a board or piece of paperActivity 4: objects to create an obstacle courseActivity 5: two imagesActivity 6: a box and contents
Activity style	Discussion, Brainstorming, Ideating, Collaboration.
Warm-up activity/Meditative technique	Meditative technique “Five Senses”

*Start with a short activity (7-10 min). Depending on the  audience’s mood, choose it in the Activity Bank. Use meditation techniques for concentration and mindfulness or warm-up games that create a fun and relaxed environment.

**Use the Thinking Skills Activity Bank to add or replace games. Choose the duration and type of activities depending on the audience’s attentiveness, excitement and concentration.

Activity 1

Five Senses Mindfulness Exercise

Here is a quick meditative technique to help participants focus and prepare for the workshop. Guide participants through a sensory awareness practice, pausing for 5-10 seconds between each step:

• Notice 5 things you can see
• Notice 4 things you can feel
• Notice 3 things you can hear
• Notice 2 things you can smell
• Notice 1 thing you can taste

In this workshop, we will touch on the main types of thinking. These are analytical thinking, critical thinking, and creative thinking. To explain them, we will talk about everyday experiences.

Analytical Thinking. When we break down complex information into smaller parts to understand it better.

Example: Imagine you’re trying to improve your performance in a video game. You analyze your past games to see where you made mistakes, identify patterns in your gameplay, and determine strategies to enhance your skills.

Critical Thinking. When we evaluate information and arguments to make reasoned judgments.

Example. While researching for a school project, you come across several sources with different perspectives. You evaluate the credibility of each source, consider potential biases, and decide which information is most reliable to include in your work.

Creative Thinking. When we generate new and original ideas or approaches.

Example. Suppose you’re tasked with creating a unique art project. You brainstorm various themes, experiment with different materials, and combine unconventional elements to produce an artwork that reflects your personal expression.

Let’s get started

Activity 2

Silent Line-Up

This activity engages teens in physical movement and develops critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills.

1. Provide a set of criteria cards containing attributes such as birth month, shoe size, or favorite color.
2. Participants must line up in order based on the given criteria without speaking or making any noise.
3. Encourage participants to use gestures, body language, and problem-solving skills to organize themselves efficiently.

Activity 3

What If? Scenarios
The following game aims to stimulate both creative and critical thinking skills. Because of unusual scenarios, students are pushed to imagine beyond their everyday experiences (thinking outside the box). There are no “wrong” answers, this encourages students to share their thoughts freely. The scenarios reveal how different aspects of life and society are connected. Also, sharing ideas and listening to others’ perspectives develop communication skills.

1. Present hypothetical scenarios (choose from the list below).
2. Have children brainstorm potential consequences and solutions. Write down ideas on a board or large piece of paper.
3. Discuss how considering multiple perspectives aids decision-making. 

• What if humans could breathe underwater?
• What if we could communicate with animals?
• What if gravity suddenly became half as strong?
• What if everyone in the world spoke the same language?
• What if we could travel through time?
• What if plants could move and walk like animals?
• What if we could control the weather?
• What if money didn’t exist?
• What if we could see infrared and ultraviolet light?
• What if sleep was no longer necessary for humans?

Activity 4

Common obstacle course

The next task activates students mentally and physically. To solve the task students should use collaborative, thinking, and decision-making skills.

1. Set up an obstacle course using everyday items like chairs, tables, baskets or hula hoops.
2. Divide participants into teams of 4-5 people and ask them to work together to move along the track without touching, for instance, the floor. The next round could be “Move along the track without touching the obstacles.” Place the obstacles close together to allow students to think and make decisions.
3. Encourage participants to brainstorm strategies and communicate effectively with their teammates to overcome the challenge.

Activity 5

Spot the Difference
The purpose of this game is to enhance observation, analysis, and analytical skills, to improve concentration and focus, to learn to slow down and analyze before jumping to conclusions.

1. Create a collaborative and supportive environment. Show two similar images with subtle differences.
2. Ask children to identify and explain the differences. Encourage verbal explanation of differences.
3. Discuss how careful observation helps in problem-solving.

Activity 6

Mystery Box Challenge
The goal of this activity is to develop deductive reasoning, hypothesis formation, and logical thinking processes. We can show how to draw conclusions from limited information, how to  ask specific, targeted questions. 

Explain skepticism not to jump to conclusions. Teach to organize and categorize information, memorise and retain relevant details. 

“Mystery Box Challenge” stimulates curiosity and desire to explore, push towards learning and discovery.

The game leads to clear formulation of thoughts and questions.

1. Place an object in a box and provide clues about its properties.
2. Participants ask yes/no questions to gather information.
3. Encourage them to form and revise hypotheses based on new information.

Suggestions for Mystery Box Contents:

• Place a famous toy in the box. Give an item of clothing or accessory as a clue.
• Place a packet of apple juice (or a small unit for each participant) in the box. Provide apple seeds as a clue.
• Place a pinecone in the box. Provide verbal clues such as: I grow on trees, I have many overlapping parts, I can be used in crafts.

Conclusion

Let’s reflect on the journey we’ve taken together.

We’ve explored various aspects of critical thinking: observing details, evaluating information, forming hypotheses, and considering multiple perspectives.

Through activities like “Spot the Difference,” “Fact or Fiction,” “What If?” scenarios, and the “Mystery Box Challenge,” we’ve exercised various cognitive muscles, improving our analytical and creative thinking skills.

We’ve learned that critical thinking isn’t just about being smart – it’s about being curious, open-minded, and willing to question our assumptions.

Remember, these skills are like any others – they improve with practice. Continue to apply what you’ve learned in your daily life, whether it’s analyzing advertisements, solving problems at school, or making decisions with friends and family.

Challenge yourself to approach situations with a critical eye. Ask questions, seek evidence, and consider different viewpoints before drawing conclusions.

Thank you for your enthusiastic participation. Keep thinking critically, stay curious, and never stop learning!