Let’s Get Critical! Are You Smarter Than an Eighth Grader?

MSMP Family Game Week begins with seven verbal brain games designed for middle schoolers, parents, teachers, and anyone else who wants to play along.

Inspired by our field trip to Creature Features in Athens, Tennessee, these puzzles feature Drift the Arctic fox, Coco the capybara, Willow the wallaby, Maisie the Highland cow, a possibly innocent kangaroo, and Lieutenant Steve—who has somehow gained access to the prize vault.

Along the way, we explore what is happening inside the developing middle-school brain and practice critical-thinking strategies such as examining evidence, questioning assumptions, eliminating possibilities, building mental models, and changing approaches when the first strategy doesn’t work.Josh from Canada also asks which games can help middle schoolers become stronger thinkers.

We discuss mysteries, riddles, chess, logic puzzles, strategy games, escape rooms, brain-supporting foods—and whether blueberries can actually make algebra easier.Play in the car, around the dinner table, in a classroom, or anywhere your family could use a brain workout. No worksheets required.

Critical thinking isn’t something you either have or don’t have. It is a collection of skills that grows through practice.Find episode updates and practical resources at MSMaryPoppins.com.

Stop. Regulate. Listen. And stay clever, little foxes.

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Stop. Regulate. Listen. ☂️

Helping adults understand the kids in the middle. © The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™