At first glance, teaching philosophy to young children might seem daunting or nearly impossible. As a discipline, philosophy is dominated by older and often male thinkers, making it difficult to reimagine philosophical teachings that engage with a different audience. In reality, children’s natural wonder and curiosity make them the perfect students.
Philosophy, at its core, is about asking “big questions.” Encouraging young students to think deeply about questions that don’t have straightforward answers helps them develop their critical thinking skills, imagination, argumentation, and provides them with tools to think deeply about their experiences and observations.
We believe that philosophy should be introduced in school curriculums to students of all ages. Philosophy can bring comfort to kids who are full of questions and can be a refreshing break from the traditional school day that over-emphasizes correct answers and standardized learning. As part of this mission, this class is designed to help students nurture their philosophical thinking and develop integral skills.
The resources below are meant for parents and teachers looking to learn more about how to facilitate such a practice, or for anyone trying to make an argument in favor of teaching philosophy to children.
Resources to begin:
For parents and teachers whose kids can never stop asking “why?”
- PLATO has a plethora of resources including lesson plans, webinars, and more for anyone interested in practicing philosophical discussion with children.
Literature that supports and encourages philosophy in the classroom:
- Ethics for the Very Young: A Philosophy Curriculum for Early Childhood Education by Erik Kenyon- excerpt
- Kenyon’s book includes lesson plans for having philosophical discussions with children.
- Big Ideas for Little Kids: Teaching Philosophy Through Children’s Literature by Thomas Wartenberg- excerpt
- Books can be a great way to foster philosophical thinking with children, using engaging visuals! This chapter shows a great example of how to effectively use a book to start asking big questions. Thomas Wartenberg uses “Morris the Moose” to introduce illogical arguments and faulty reasoning.
- The Philosophy of Childhood by Gareth Matthews- excerpt
- This chapter includes quotes from actual children discussing philosophical topics and is a great example of how children think and process.