Are reasoning skills really ‘innate’, or can children improve them?

Here’s something many parents find genuinely reassuring.

Verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests were originally designed to measure what psychologists called fluid intelligence. The idea was that these tests assessed something fixed. An innate ability. A kind of built-in mental capacity that couldn’t really be taught.

If that were true, preparation would be pointless.

But it isn’t strictly true.

Reasoning can be strengthened

There is now plenty of evidence showing that children can make significant progress in reasoning skills through the right training, exposure and practice.

Of course, every child is different. But reasoning is not some sealed box in the brain that cannot be developed.

When children are taught how to approach patterns, language, logic and problem solving systematically, their confidence and accuracy improve.

And that improvement is measurable.

It’s not about teaching children what to think

At LinkyThinks, we talk a lot about this distinction.

The goal is not to teach a child what to think.

It’s to teach them how to think.

How to:

• Break down a problem

• Spot patterns

• Test assumptions

• Apply logic

• Think critically under time pressure

These skills go far beyond the 11+.

When a child learns how to reason clearly, that ability transfers into comprehension, maths, writing and even everyday decision-making.

Why critical thinking matters

Reasoning tests often look abstract. Shapes, codes, letter sequences.

But underneath them sits something much broader: structured thinking.

If a child regularly practises logic puzzles, riddles, verbal analysis and problem-solving games, they begin to see how reasoning works across different contexts.

That’s when real growth happens.

And importantly, it can be enjoyable.

Children tend to engage more deeply when learning feels like solving a challenge rather than memorising content.

Reasoning isn’t just about passing a test.

It’s about equipping children with the tools to think independently and confidently, and the test-passing becomes a natural result alongside the skills that go beyond the classroom.