thinking skills

Thinking critically is a skill that we need to live our lives. There are some good people working in science education-some NGOs, and the HBCSE. They have developed small interesting books on science. They develop kits to conduct small experiments using inexpensive materials. But often, these experiments are just that...experiments. One example:- blowing into a long narrow plastic bag. If you blow into it from a distance of a few inches, it fills up easily. If you blow with your mouth inside the bg, it takes a lot of effort. The demonstrator explains why. Fine.
But I really don't care why...I have never needed to blow into a huge long plastic bag. The thing is to explain daily-life processes--to teach critical thinking not as if it belongs to science.
In fact in our lives, we need to take decisions that must be done after critical thought...should I take up this job? should I give ORS to my sick child? should I get married? should I plant wheat or sugarcane?
and at a mundane level, should I take the umbrella with me today?
These are my day-to-day dilemmas. I must take proper decisions at each step I must think critically, weighing the pros and cons. I must be able to think out solutions to my daily problems, perhaps a creative solution. Teaching it as if it is the realm of science gives children an impression that only scientists need to think critically.
Thinking skills must be taught and taught using real life examples and activities.