Wagon Wheels and Ladders™: Two Different Ways of Thinking
- Kimberly B. Harrison, Ph.D.
- Jul 13
- 5 min read
Have you ever wondered why two equally bright children can approach the very same problem in completely different ways?
One child immediately starts making a list.
The other begins talking about three related ideas, asks a question that seems completely unrelated, remembers something from yesterday, and somehow circles back to the original topic a few minutes later.
Both children may arrive at the same destination.
They simply travel very different paths.
Over the years, I found that many children—and adults—tend to favor one of two thinking styles. To help families understand these differences, I began using two simple metaphors: Ladders and Wagon Wheels™.
Neither style is better.
Neither is smarter.
Both come with unique strengths.
Understanding the difference can change the way we interpret learning, communication, organization, and even behavior.
Different Thinking Styles, One Control Tower
One of the things I love most about children is that there isn't just one "right" way to think.
The Control Tower doesn't create intelligence or creativity. Its job is to regulate how we use them.
Understanding a child's natural thinking style allows us to build supports that work with their brain rather than constantly fighting against it.
The goal isn't to change how children think.
The goal is to help them use the way they already think more effectively.
Ladder Thinkers
Imagine climbing a ladder.
You begin on one rung and move upward one step at a time. Each rung builds upon the one before it. There is a clear sequence and a clear direction.
Many people naturally think this way.
When they solve a problem, they often work through it in order.
When they tell a story, they usually begin at the beginning and move toward the end.
When they organize information, they naturally create categories, outlines, lists, and step-by-step plans.
This style of thinking fits comfortably within many traditional school environments, where assignments follow a sequence, projects are completed in stages, and directions are often given one step at a time.
For Ladder thinkers, this often feels very natural.
Wagon Wheel Thinkers™
Now imagine a wagon wheel.
Instead of moving in a straight line, ideas radiate outward from a central hub.
One thought connects to another.
That idea leads to a memory.
The memory sparks a question.
The question creates another idea.
Connections happen quickly and often effortlessly.
This is what I call a Wagon Wheel™ thinking style.
Wagon Wheel thinkers often notice patterns and relationships that other people miss.
They tend to be curious, imaginative, creative, flexible, and exceptionally good at seeing the "big picture."
Ask a Wagon Wheel thinker a question, and chances are you'll receive a fascinating answer.
The challenge is that the answer sometimes includes five other ideas along the way.
To someone who prefers Ladder thinking, the conversation can seem scattered.
To the Wagon Wheel thinker, however, every connection makes perfect sense.
Their brain is simply organizing information differently.
Different Thinking Styles Create Different Expectations
Many conflicts between parents and children are not really about behavior.
They're about two people with different thinking styles trying to solve the same problem.
A Ladder-thinking parent naturally communicates in sequence.
"Pick up your clothes. Put away your toys. Make your bed."
A Wagon Wheel-thinking child hears the first instruction, notices a favorite book on the floor, remembers a project they wanted to finish, thinks about a friend who likes the same book, wonders whether that friend ever texted back...
...and twenty minutes later the room is still messy.
From the outside, it may look like the child isn't trying.
What may actually be happening is that their attention has been pulled in multiple directions by a brain that naturally creates connections.
The issue isn't intelligence.
The issue isn't motivation.
The issue is organization and regulation.
Where ADHD Fits In
Many children with ADHD are naturally strong Wagon Wheel thinkers.
Their ability to generate ideas, recognize patterns, make connections, and think creatively can be remarkable.
But everyday life often requires something different.
Homework has to be completed in sequence.
Projects need to be broken into manageable steps.
Materials must be organized.
Time has to be managed.
Tasks need to be started before deadlines become emergencies.
These are all jobs of the Control Tower.
The Control Tower helps regulate attention, organize ideas, manage time, and translate broad, interconnected thinking into purposeful action.
When executive functioning is strong, this translation happens more smoothly.
When executive functioning struggles, the gap becomes much larger.
The child has wonderful ideas.
They simply need help organizing those ideas into action.
Building Bridges
One of the biggest mistakes adults make is trying to eliminate Wagon Wheel thinking.
That is not the answer.
The creativity, flexibility, curiosity, and innovation that often accompany this thinking style are tremendous strengths.
The answer is to build bridges.
Checklists create sequence.
Visual schedules create structure.
Calendars make time visible.
The Radar helps children see what is coming next.
An External Brain helps important information stay organized.
These tools don't change how children think.
They help their thinking become easier to organize and use.
In many ways, organization is simply the process of helping Wagon Wheels travel more smoothly on Ladders.
The Bigger Picture
Understanding thinking styles can be surprisingly freeing for families.
Suddenly, many everyday struggles begin to make sense.
A child who jumps between ideas isn't necessarily careless.
A child who asks a dozen questions isn't necessarily avoiding the task.
A child who struggles with organization isn't lacking intelligence.
They may simply be approaching the world differently.
Understanding thinking styles doesn't change who children are.
It changes how we support them.
The goal is never to turn a Wagon Wheel into a Ladder.
The goal is to help every child understand how they think while strengthening the Control Tower skills that allow their ideas to become action.
When we stop trying to change a child's thinking style and instead strengthen the systems that help them use it successfully, remarkable things begin to happen.
The Control Tower Model™
See their strengths.
Understand their brain.
Strengthen the Control Tower.
Dr. H.'s Takeaway
A child's behavior makes much more sense when we understand how the brain is working beneath the surface. My goal is to help families replace frustration with understanding—and understanding with practical strategies that help children thrive.
Continue Exploring the Control Tower Model™
This article is part of my Control Tower Model™ series, a collection of practical resources designed to help parents better understand ADHD and the executive functioning skills that influence everyday life. Throughout the series, we'll explore topics such as attention, emotions, organization, time management, task initiation, thinking styles, and practical tools that help children thrive at home and at school.
If you'd like to explore the complete framework, you'll find it in ADHD: The Comprehensive Parent's Guide, where I take a deeper look at the science of ADHD and the practical strategies families can begin using right away.
Understanding the Control Tower: A New Way to Think About ADHD
What Is ADHD Really? Looking Beneath the Behavior
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