A book review of Philosophy For Kids: 40 Fun Questions That Help You Wonder About Everything! by David. A. White, Ph.D.
Stars: *****
Routledge (2001)
Philosophy
200 pages
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links.
Summary: Inspire animated discussions of questions that concern kids―and all of us―with this innovative, interactive book. Open your students’ minds to the wonders of philosophy.
Allow them to grapple with the questions philosophers have discussed since the ancient Greeks. Questions include: “Who are your friends?,” “Can computers think?,” “Can something logical not make sense?,” and “Can you think about nothing?” Young minds will find these questions to be both entertaining and informative. If you have ever wondered about questions like these, you are well on your way to becoming a philosopher!
Philosophy for Kids offers young people the opportunity to become acquainted with the wonders of philosophy. Packed with exciting activities arranged around the topics of values, knowledge, reality, and critical thinking, this book can be used individually or by the whole class. Each activity allows kids to increase their understanding of philosophical concepts and issues and enjoy themselves at the same time.
In addition to learning about a challenging subject, students philosophizing in a classroom setting, as well as the casual reader of Philosophy for Kids, will sharpen their ability to think critically about these and similar questions. Experiencing the enjoyment of philosophical thought enhances a young person’s appreciation for the importance of reasoning throughout the traditional curriculum of subjects.
The book includes activities, teaching tips, a glossary of terms, and suggestions for further reading.
Philosophy For Kids
Have you ever wanted to talk philosophy with your kids but felt it was too heavy a subject? Nonsense. This book Philosophy for Kids is the perfect way to address it with your children.
The beginning of the book talks about philosophy in general and important things for you to remember as you do the activities. There is a note for teachers and parents.
The book is split into parts: Values, Knowledge, Reality and Critical Thinking. Here is a sample question from each group:
Values – Is it your duty to give to charity?
Knowledge – Can you doubt that you exist?
Reality – Can you think about nothing at all?
Critical Thinking – Should you always listen to the opinion of others?
For each of the questions, there is an introduction, questions to answer and then for further thought. The questions could be multiple choice, yes or no or fill in the blank.
At the back of the book there is suggestions for teachers and parents for the way the book is organized, some classroom procedures (suggestions for presenting the book in class or at home), teaching tips and curricular integration for integrating with standard subjects for younger students. The question review and teaching tips are given for each question.
So for using with homeschool, I would read the teaching tips for the question and read the whole question page and prepare.
Overall I’m so excited to try Philosophy Fridays next school year.
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