Assessment, evaluation, testing and measurement are fundamental within educational process. The ways in which these tools are set up vary from one educational system to another. However, they share the same important functions: diagnostic, formative, informative, motivational, regulatory, summative and predictive. In Romania, the end of one educational cycle is marked by a national evaluation or exam. Individual decisions are made based on the results obtained. Educational policies emerge from analyzing the level of the results. But what did we actually measure? Did we evaluate according to objectives that was followed through the years? Are those objectives aligned to educational goals and the broad purposes of education?

The education law in Romania presents goals and structures oriented toward twenty firstcentury skills. These skills include critical and creative thinking and national and universal values. According to Delphi Project, Critical thinking contains six main cognitive actions: analysis, evaluation, inference, interpretation, explanation and self-regulation. Some of them appear early in life and need refinement, other develop with age and also need training. From the first years of kindergarten to the last years of high school, measurement of critical thinking is essential. Knowing the level of critical thinking skills is necessary in order to develop it. Thus, critical thinking skills should be evaluate throughout the years.

This topic is relevant in today`s world, a world marked by fast changes and novelty. The ability to understand, position accordingly and embrace good change is imbedded in critical thinking and, therefore it is to be admired. Since critical thinking is one of the goals of the entire educational system, it`s importances cannot be overlooked. Studying critical thinking in order to develop intentionally and methodically these skills is needed. Measuring critical thinking skills is necessary and instruments need to be further developed. Instrument of measuring critical thinking skills in Romania have been adapted from international ones. Existing tools measure critical thinking for ages eighteen years and over.

The purpose of this research is to create an instrument for measuring critical thinking skills in preschool children in Romania. In order to create a valid and reliable tool, and based on the Delphi Project findings, the following research question is formulated:

1. Which are the critical thinking skills that can be developed in preschool children?
2. Which critical thinking skills do Romanian children develop in their preschool years?

The method used to reach the goal of the study is systematic literature review. This method provides aggregated data that allows reducing research gaps and empower informed decision-making in critical thinking evaluation and development for preschool children. Data bases on Enfromation platform with research journals are selected on clear inclusion and exclusion criterions. Boolean search is used for this systematic literature review. The key words proposed for search are: (critical thinking OR cognitive abilities OR thinking OR cognitive development OR thinking skills) AND analysis AND evaluation AND inference AND interpretation AND explanation AND self-regulation AND (preschoolers OR preschool children OR kindergarten kids) AND 3-4 years AND 4-5 years AND 5-6 years AND (testing OR measuring OR evaluating OR assessing). The next step is represented by screening of the studies: duplicate elimination, title and abstract analysis and full text evaluation. For clarity and quality of the research, the PRISMA guidelines will be followed during the systematic literature review process. After results synthesis and report writing, a measurement instrument based on the systematic literature review findings will be carried out.

Expected results for this study include identification of the core critical thinking abilities specific to preschool years. Four out of the six critical thinking skills named in Delphy Report are expected to be met at this age: analysis, evaluation, interpretation, explanation. Some of the studies suggest that, the other two skills (inference and self-regulation) are specific for children 9 years and above. However, identification of preliminary mental activities for this two skills and others, specific to preschool children ages, is necessary for a clear description of critical thinking skills of preschool children. Based on these findings, a critical thinking test for preschool children in Romania will be formulated and results will be presented. A short description of classic or unique ways in which critical thinking skills are met in children aged between 3 and 6 years will be written.

Bailin, S., & Siegel, H. (2003). Critical thinking. The Blackwell guide to the philosophy of education, 181-193. Bloom, B. S. Engelhart, M. D. Furst, E. J. Hill, W. H. și Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Handbook I: cognitive domain. New York: David McKay, 483-498. Burieva, K. E. (2025). Fostering critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity in education: global experiences and local implications. American Journal of Innovation in Science Research and Development, 2(2), 33-37. Dewey, J. (2022). How we think. DigiCat. Dilek, Ö. A. (2025). The problem of developing critical thinking skills in preschoolers. Вестник НАН РК, 413(1), 284-296. Enciso, O. L. U. Enciso, D. S. U. și Daza, M. D. P. V. (2017). Critical thinking and its importance in education: Some reflections. Rastros Rostros, 19(34), 78-88. Ennis, R. H. (1989). Critical thinking and subject specificity: Clarification and needed research. Educational researcher, 18(3), 4-10. Ernst, J. Monroe, M. (2004). The effects of environment‐based education on students' critical thinking skills and disposition toward critical thinking. Environmental Education Research, 10(4), 507-522. Facione, P. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction (The Delphi Report). León, J. M. (2015). A baseline study of strategies to promote critical thinking in the preschool classroom. GIST–Education and Learning Research Journal, (10), 113-127. Lipman, M. (2003). Thinking in education. Cambridge University Press. O'Reilly, C. Devitt, A. și Hayes, N. (2022). Critical thinking in the preschool classroom-A systematic literature review. Thinking skills and creativity, 46, 101-110. Paul, R., și Elder, L. (1992). Critical thinking: What, why, and how. New directions for community colleges, 77(2), 3-24. Pellegrino, J. W. Bransford, J. D. și Donovan, M. S. (Eds). (1999). How people learn: Bridging research and practice. National Academies Press. Renzulli, J. S. (1992). A General Theory for the Development of Creative Productivity Through the Pursuit of Ideal Acts of Learning. Gifted child quarterly, 36(4), 170-182. Scheffler, I. (1973). Reason and Teaching. Routledge & Kegan Paul. Siegel, H. (1980). Critical thinking as an educational ideal. The Educational Forum, 45(1), 7-23. Sternberg, R. J. și Halpern, D. F. (Eds.). (2020). Critical thinking in psychology. Cambridge University Press. Walsh, D., & Paul, R. W. (1986). The Goal of Critical Thinking: from Educational Ideal to Educational Reality. American Federation of Teachers. Weinstein, M. (1991). Critical thinking and education for democracy. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 23(2), 9-29.