Online Critical Thinking Guide

• Tips for creating a critical thinker
• Conversation starters
• Read the guide
• Resources to support critical thinking
• Supporting resources

Tips for creating a critical thinker

Use the following advice to help your child build their critical thinking skills and stay safer online.

Discuss their online life

Have regular conversations with your child about the content they see online, similar to how you would ask about their offline life. This gives you an opportunity to discuss the intent and sources behind content and encourage them to think critically about what they see online.

Teach them to double-check information

Help your child build safe habits by encouraging them to check any information they see online. Show them how to check sources, compare across multiple sources and identify trusted websites and organisations that they can use to verify if a story is true.

Model positive behaviour

Children will often imitate their parents’ behaviour, so demonstrating critical thinking skills in can encourage them to practise these skills themselves. Point out content that you think is fake and let them know that you are going to check the source. This makes it more likely they will do the same when they encounter misinformation.

Conversation starters

Try using these conversations starters to begin a discussion with your child about critical thinking. Asking open-ended questions helps avoid yes or no answers and encourages children to explore their responses without the fear of giving a wrong answer.

“Why do you think this was shared online?”

This question encourages children to consider the intent behind online content and helps them understand that things are posted with a motivation in mind.

“Does this come from a source we trust?”

This helps your child learn that sources shouldn’t be automatically trusted and that some are more trustworthy than others. Asking if they trust the source, rather than telling them it is or isn’t trustworthy, encourages them to do their own checking and helps them avoid feeling judged.

“How could we check if this is true?”

This can lead to you and your child exploring how to fact check a post together. You can show them how to compare sources and identify trusted organisations they can use to double-check information in the future.

“Why do you think this challenge/trend is popular?”

This question can lead to your child thinking about whether they actually want to participate in a trend or challenge, or whether they are only doing it because others are. This helps children think critically about the influence of peer pressure and social media algorithms and can help them avoid participating in dangerous challenges in future.