Inference activities for kids.
Reading between the lines.

What inference is

Inference means joining what you notice to what you already know. A child with a wet umbrella just came in from the rain. A boy holding a broken toy feels sad. Many children, including many autistic children, understand the words on a page but find these unspoken links harder. The good news is that inference can be taught step by step.

How Clue Detective teaches it

Each puzzle shows a short scene with clues to spot, and asks one kind of question:

• Feelings: how does someone feel?
• What next: what will happen next?
• Why: why did something happen?
• Riddles: put the clues together to find the answer.

After each answer, the clues are linked with an arrow to the answer and a "because" sentence explains the thinking. Showing the reasoning out loud is how inference is learned, not just getting the answer right.

Starts small, grows with your child

• Basics: notice one clue, then connect it, with plenty of help.
• Three levels: Early, Growing and Clever. A run of right answers suggests moving up, and extra support appears when a puzzle is hard.
• Special interests: theme packs for trains 🚂, dinosaurs 🦕 and space 🚀 keep motivation high.

Tips for grown-ups

• Ask "How do you know?" and celebrate the clue your child points to.
• Think aloud yourself: "Her coat is wet, so I think it's raining outside."
• Use everyday moments, like pictures in books, faces on TV, or the weather out the window.

More guides