BE Inspired

Letter #11 in a series...

Lesson: Critical thinking is an important skill.

Dear Future Grandchildren,

Guess what? You are about to read what I think will end up being your favorite of all the letters I’ve written you! That’s because this letter is going to be all about how you can become a critical thinker. 😳😳😳 I know, I know. You're thinking, “Nana, are you kidding? Why would this be my favorite letter?” Well, what if I told you that the way you can become a critical thinker is FUN? That’s right, it doesn’t involve more homework or chores, it requires more PLAY!!! But, before I explain the fun part to you, let me take a step back and tell you what critical thinking is and why I think it’s important. 

Critical thinking is defined as “disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence” (www.dictionary.com) and, in my opinion, it’s one of the most important skills for a human being to acquire. As a critical thinker you’ll be able to determine right from wrong both ethically and rationally; you’ll make decisions based on science and facts instead of propaganda or conspiracy theories; you’ll accept others who are different than you regardless of whether or not you can relate to them; and you’ll use logic, creativity, and imagination as you navigate through life instead of being stuck thinking in a tunnel.  

By now you know that I LOVE observing and analyzing human behavior- it's one of my favorite past times! Unfortunately for me though, it's both a fascinating and unsettling hobby. You see, recently all my observing has lead me to realize that there are way too many adults that do NOT have critical thinking skills. I can only hypothesize as to why…maybe it’s because of their childhood; their religious beliefs; their education or lack thereof; or their life experiences, in general- to name a few. I’ll never know for sure, but the good news is that I have discovered a way for YOU to bolster your critical thinking skills right now. 

I want you to BE a Gamer! Did you know that your Nana was a gamer? That’s right, I played lots and lots of games, but maybe not the kind your thinking of.  You see, we didn’t have video games when I was a child. We also didn’t have computers, cell phones, or televisions with more than a few channels! {That might sound boring, but I assure you it was glorious! More on that in a future letter!}  What we DID have though were board games and your Nana was a Board-Gamer-Extraordinaire!  Do you still have board games? I really, really, really hope so because all that time I spent playing them as a child made me a savvy critical thinker. 

While video gaming has some benefits, trust me- the plethora of skills you'll learn from an old-fashioned board game will exceed them all!  Unlike video games, board games require you to be physically present with other people while playing, and the communication skills you gain through these social interactions is a HUGE plus. It's true that both types of gaming exercise the brain- video games train your visual and motor skills...while the brain muscle you exercise most playing a board game is your frontal lobe (FL). The frontal lobe is the part of your brain that controls thinking, planning, and problem solving and since every board game has it’s own set of rules, you will be working the FL constantly!  You’ll use logic and reasoning; make inferences and observations; and you’ll be forced to stay open minded as one move by your opponent may force you to completely rethink your game strategy. 

And, another mostly overlooked benefit of playing board games is learning that life has it’s ups and downs, but that you have to persevere through them until the game is over. For example, there are the dreaded chutes in Chutes and Ladders; the ‘Do Not Pass Go’ card in Monopoly; and the annoying Operation buzzer. These are nearly impossible to avoid in their games just as setbacks are in real life. But, by playing board games you become more resilient and you discover that many times challenges turn into opportunities. Maybe on your next turn you’ll land on the space with the really long ladder that takes you right to the top! Or, maybe you’ll pick up a chance card that says there was a bank error in your favor! New paths full of hope often arise out of hardship and board games can teach you that in a fun way. 

So grandkids, if you want to grow up to be a critical thinker -BE A GAMER... a BOARD-GAMER! Try Clue or Mastermind if you want to work your logic and inference skills; Rummy or Parcheesi if you want to work on strategy building; Code Names if you want to flex your observational and vocabulary skills; and the game Nana is the best at (despite what Grandpop and your Mom or Dad might say) CATAN if you want to work your analytical, communication, and negotiation skills. These are just a few of my favorite board games, but honestly there are hardly any that I don’t love!

I have so many fond memories of playing board games as a child and I truly believe doing so enabled me to become an agile and critical thinker. I tried to instill my love of board games in your Mom/Dad and I sure hope I was successful! Being a critical thinker helps you understand the world around you and allows you to be a better contributor to society so make sure you include a few board games on your Christmas list this year. If Santa doesn’t bring them don’t worry, Nana will!

Love,

Nana XOXO

"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning." ~Diane Ackerman