Abstract: This paper compares the thinking processes of the only child and the non-only child through the study of the developmental levels of analogical reasoning of 3 to 6-year-old children, and analyses the development of children's analogical reasoning in relation to their home environment and schooling.The subjects were 400 3 to 6-year-old children divided into four age groups. In each group, the respective numbers of onlies and non-onlies were either equal or in the ratio of the actual numbers of the two categories in that particular age group.The results show that there is no significant difference between the onlies and children with siblings in mean scores and the developmental level of the three analogical reasoning tests. However, there are obvious differences in the scores of analogical reasoning by children in the same category but with different home education. This indicates that under the combined influence of factors at home, such as the family's size, income, living standards, cultural life and educational level, home education is the direct and key factor effecting children's intellectual development.

Key words: NULL