What better time to teach your kids about philosophy when the entire world is having an existential crisis?

Enter: Philosophy For Kids: 40 Questions That Help You Wonder… About Everything! by David A. White, Ph.D.

I have been encountering some really great thinkers in my personal reading, and wanted to find a way to share philosophy with my kids in a way that would make sense to them. Philosophy For Kids was basically the only book I could find, and fortunately, it’s a good one.

With short chapters that begin with thought-provoking questions, the book prompted some really incredible and thoughtful conversations at our house. The first section of the book featured questions which introduced a famous philosopher and their way of thinking. The last part of the book was dedicated to critical thinking, and sprinkled throughout are quotes from great thinkers. Throughout the book, the questions invite kids to think about philosophical ideas in the context of school, friends, and life.

We read this book one question at a time, several times a week. My students were aged 6-12 when we went through the book, and I was surprised by the depth of thought they were able to contribute to the discussion.

Yes: Some of the ideas were deep and we got pretty tangled up a few times while we worked things out. Even on those days, it was amazing to watch the gears turning as my kids worked out philosophy, ethics, and logic. Do you sometimes feel weird when you are with others? Are numbers and people equally real? Should you ever tell a lie? Are impossible things ever possible?

Like a true philosopher, the author doesn’t offer answers. He just invites us to examine life through the framework of the great philosophers and see if it changes how we see things.

It’s the Chaplain‘s birthday today! He’s the one who was always interested in philosophy, long before the rest of our household was.