Critical thinking is widely recognized as a fundamental skill in education, often associated with reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making. Despite broad agreement on its importance, there is ongoing debate about how critical thinking should be defined, taught, and assessed. While much research focuses on secondary and higher education, there is limited exploration of how critical thinking develops in younger children and how pedagogical strategies can effectively support this process. This study explores the Mystery learning strategy as a tool for fostering critical thinking in primary school students, Grade 3 (9 years old) of 27 students in Sweden, representing diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. This approach encourages analysis, reasoning, and knowledge application in meaningful contexts. The study examines how this strategy supports students’ cognitive development and its potential to enhance critical thinking skills.

The study aims to assess the impact of the Mystery Learning Strategy on students’ ability to analyze and solve problems, collaborate with peers, and develop personal insights and skills applicable. This investigation seeks to enhance understanding of effective teaching methods that support holistic student development in learning environments.
- How does the Mystery Learning Strategy influence the development of students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills?
- What are the advantages and challenges of using the Mystery Learning Strategy in primary education?

Theoretically, the study is grounded in sociocultural perspectives, creativity, and play-based learning. Imagination is a key component of learning, enabling individuals to envision possibilities and alternative realities. In play-based learning, children engage in imaginative play to explore scenarios, roles, and outcomes, fostering cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Learning is inherently social, with collaborative play facilitating interaction, enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The Mystery Approach combines storytelling, role-play, and problem-solving activities, encouraging students to use their imagination to explore various scenarios. By fostering emotional engagement, it makes learning more meaningful and memorable, enhancing retention and deepening students' understanding of the material.

Methodologically, this pilot study draws on lesson study principles combined with autoethnographic engagement. The lesson study approach follows three stages: planning a detailed lesson plan, observing the lesson, and analyzing the lesson. Autoethnography, a highly reflexive method, allows researchers to use personal experiences to generate academic insights into societal activities. Here, this meant that I staged the Mystery myself, observed it, and actively participated in the students’ discussions by asking guiding questions.

The results indicate that students often exhibit skills in observation, analysis, inference, and deductive reasoning. However, there is room for further development in areas such as empathy, creativity, collaboration, longitudinal thinking, systematic investigation, and contextual understanding. Some students may need additional guidance and scaffolding to fully engage in the activity and maximize its benefits. Ensuring all students receive the necessary support and encouragement is crucial for realizing the educational potential of the Mystery Learning Strategy.

Keywords: Critical thinking, Thinking Skill Learning Strategies, Mystery, Play-based Learning, Primary school education.