Inference Jones provides short, fun, and easy-to-use activities that improve critical reading and higher order thinking by developing the student’s ability to draw inferences from written text. Research shows inferential reasoning is a prerequisite component to superior reading comprehension. Launch date: February 2012.
Awards: Creative Child Magazine

The Language Mechanic is an effective, comprehensive program that uses fun examples and logical reasons to eliminate the confusion students often feel while learning the rules of language mechanics. Each activity demonstrates and reinforces why following the logical rule is important. Lessons begin with a "grabber”—a humorous miscommunication that results when a rule is broken. Examples are followed by an explanation of the specific rule, the logic behind it, then guided and independent practice exercises. Includes presentation and reinforcement suggestions, answers, a glossary, and a compare/contrast organizer.
Awards— Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys for 2011

Building Thinking Skills Beginning is designed to provide fun, highly effective and engaging reasoning activities to improve the vocabulary, pre-reading, pre-writing, math, logic, spatial, and auditory processing skills of preschoolers. It teaches children to use organized analysis instead of guesswork to solve problems as it develops critical thinking skills necessary for success in reading, math, writing, and science. The book uses colorful, easy-to-understand activities, sequenced in small steps, many gamelike, and solvable in a short period. "Our thinking approach makes learning fun, motivating and effective. Empowering the mind through critical thinking is one of the best ways to prepare for life's journey," Nile Duppstadt, VP, The Critical Thinking Co., told TDmonthly. Awards: 2009 Teacher's Choice Award for the Family, Learning® Magazine, 2010 Best Products iParenting Media Award, Book category. Launch date: February 5, 2009.

The deductive thinking puzzles help children develop the logic, reading comprehension and mental organization skills vital to achieving high grades and top test scores in all subjects. “They're also great for developing real-life, problem solving skills,” Nile Duppstadt II, vice president of sales and marketing at The Critical Thinking Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 16, 2008.

Word Roots teaches students the meanings of prefixes, roots, and suffixes commonly used in English. Learning word elements dramatically improves spelling and the ability to decode unfamiliar words. Word Roots will add hundreds of words to your students' vocabulary and greater depth to their thinking and writing. Series includes five titles for Grades 3-12+. Interactive software versions are also available.

Science Detective® uses topics and skills drawn from national science standards to prepare children for more advanced science courses and new assessments that measure reasoning, reading comprehension, and writing in science. Students can't just scan the passages for answers—they must carefully analyze and synthesize the information from the text and charts, tables, and graphs to explain and support their answers. Series includes two titles for Grades 3-6. Interactive software version is also available.

"Building Thinking Skills" software is a brain-boosting, arcade-style, underground rescue adventure that develops superior thinking and communication skills. Based on the award-winning books by the same name, the software develops vocabulary, reading, mathematical reasoning and analytical skills. This exceptional skill set provides a solid foundation for academic excellence and success in life. Features include the following: 10 levels; 32 different scenes; 92 activity types; more than 800 questions; adventure and practice modes; spoken and graphic instructions; adjustable difficulty levels; printable certificates; sample activities; a vocabulary list; self-grading; printable scores; the ability to save unfinished games; and word search puzzles. — “I love that my kids enjoy using the software, that it gives them immediate feedback, and that they can use it without my help,” Sue Christensen, who, along with her 6- and 10-year-old sons, participated in TDmonthly's Homeschool Roundtable review of this product.

"Building Thinking Skills" provides highly effective verbal and nonverbal reasoning activities to improve vocabulary, reading, writing, math, logic and figural-spatial skills, as well as visual and auditory processing. This series provides a solid foundation for academic excellence and success on any assessment test. The series includes six titles for Grades PreK-12+.
— Teresa Wilson, a mother of four and participant in TDmonthly's Homeschool Roundtable, "found that the workbooks strengthened verbal and written communication skills, especially in the area of descriptive writing.”

Vocabulary Smarts builds children's vocabulary and knowledge of high-frequency words by teaching them the meanings and usage variations between high-frequency words. Children use mini dictionaries to identify word meanings, then classify relationships between words, and finally write original sentences using the words in context. These books develop stronger reading, writing, spelling, comprehension, and dictionary skills. Series includes three titles for Grades 2-7.

Complete the Picture Math develops a wide variety of math, reading, visual, and spatial reasoning skills. Children solve an engaging word problem that focuses on reading comprehension and mathematical reasoning before completing and coloring an animal picture. This is an ideal product to motivate your child to improve his or her math skills. These quick, boredom-busting activities can be used in the classroom, after school, at home, and on trips to stimulate developing minds. Includes teaching suggestions and easy-to-follow directions. Just add your soon-to-be math whiz and crayons! Series includes three titles for Grades 1-3.