Where It All Began

Philosophers going all the way back to Socrates have written about the importance of teaching children to be effective thinkers. However, putting big questions into kid-friendly terms is a relatively new practice. Philosophy is often considered to be a "grown up" subject, reserved for academics. In North America, a major movement in children's philosophy began in the 1980's with Matthew Lipman, a philosophy professor at Columbia University. Lipman theorized that learners as young as six or seven could benefit from the opportunity to think and discuss philosophical questions about reality, knowledge, ethics and the meaning of life. Children are, after all, experts at wondering "Why?" Lipman wrote and used a series of stories that tied "big questions" into childhood experiences. He also created materials to help teachers present these questions to their classes.

Today, organizations for children's philosophy exist in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and several other countries. Parents, educators and philosophers alike are continuously surprised and delighted to find that tiny minds are definitely capable of tackling big ideas. Moreover, children who are encouraged to ask philosophical questions stand to develop thinking skills and awareness that benefit them througought their academic career, and in their personal growth.

To see a documentary about Lipman's work, follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp5lB3YVnlE

Welcome!

This is the inaugural post for KidsThinkAboutit, a blog about bringing philosophy to young (even very young) thinkers. Check back frequently for new ideas and resources, and feel free to comment.