“What’s this?” asks your two year old, pointing vaguely at something while you’re out for a walk. “That’s a rose bush.” “What’s this?” she asks again, not five seconds later. “That’s an orange tree.” This question will continue to be posed to you for the duration of your journey, about everything she sees.
It might feel a little repetitious for you, but being curious is her job.
The ability to explore the beauty of our world as we travel through is one of the highlights of human existence. There’s just so much to see, so much to be interested in, that one thing can just lead to another in a cascade of curiosity. Our lives can, and should, be spent asking questions, and discovering the answers that lead to still more questions, as we continue to expand our understanding of our small place inside a massive universe.
And this insatiable curiosity begins before we’re even able to vocalize the word “why.” A curious child becomes a curious adult, never shy to admit they don’t know something. Always asking questions because there’s just so much they don’t know, and so much they want to. Always in search of the next truth.
Unending curiosity is so important to the well-rounded emotional growth of a child, so how do we encourage it from an early age?
For starters…
Embrace the “why?”
You’re gonna get tired of answering this question a hundred times a day, providing answers, and awaiting their inevitable follow-ups. It’s important to remind yourself that your child’s willingness to ask these endless questions is a great thing, and pretty high up in their job description. So answer those why’s!
“Because birds have hollow bones.”
“Because staring at the sun will hurt your eyes.”
“Because vegetables help you grow up big and strong.”
“Because crayons aren’t food.”
It’s important to try your darndest to maintain interest in “why,” because the number one task a child has is to learn how to make sense of their world, and you are their biggest source of information. You are their most trusted confidante, and the person they feel most comfortable in approaching with questions demanding answers.
With that in mind…
Be A Role Model
Curious children get that way by watching their parents ask their own questions. Chances are, if you want to foster curiosity in your children, you’re just as curious as them. So get them involved in what inspires you, and share your discoveries! Celebrate their inquisitiveness. Encourage them to find new hobbies by letting them in on yours. Read books together. Go on hikes. Arrange a weekly library trip, especially while they’re out of school for the summer, and nose around the stacks.
Let your curiosity become theirs, and encourage their own unique path along the way.
Be Their Safe Space
All of us need a place that feels like home, free of judgment and prying eyes. You are that place to your children. Encouraging your kids to freely express their thoughts, ideas and imaginations with you will help them clearly understand there’s no such thing as a bad question. There will be no smirking sarcasm, only appreciation and thoughtfulness.
And giving them the freedom to take risks, make mistakes along the way, and think outside the box, as their curious natures blossom, will strengthen their powers of lifelong curiosity.
Beautiful Discovery
There is so much joy to be had in pushing yourself to grow your own knowledge. Curiosity shouldn’t be a chore, and learning doesn’t just have to happen in a classroom. If your child is inspired by something, nurture it! Help them to learn how to ask the right questions, and provide them with resources they can use to find the answers for themselves.
Celebrate their successes and encourage them through their quest for knowledge. Each new discovery they make should be celebrated, no matter how small, because they’re asking questions, and that means they’re using the ol’ noodle!
Read!!
There’s really no better way to delve into new worlds, concepts, and ways of thinking than to pick up a book. Introducing children to the magic of reading from an early age creates a foundation for a lifelong quest for knowledge. Getting into a good book is a transporting experience, as whole worlds, scenarios and histories come to life inside an active imagination.
Explore varying genres, as they develop their personal tastes and preferences. As their imagination soars through the pages, their curiosity will blossom.
Curiosity is a superpower, and each child has been blessed with it! If you foster a safe environment that embraces questions and applauds creativity, you’re tending to the fertile soil that creates the inventors, scientists, artists, and thinkers of tomorrow.
As your child learns more about their world, remember to be patient, honest and kind as you propel your small wonders to new heights.
Happy exploring!
Here’s a fun activity to do with your child that inspires curiosity…
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Head to the great outdoors armed with a list of items to find in nature, such as different types of leaves, rocks, animal tracks, colors and flowers. Maybe even take a pair of binoculars to study the birds flying from treetop to treetop.
Encourage your children to look closely at their surroundings, ask questions about the natural world around them, and be inquisitive about things they don’t know. If you don’t have all the answers, there’s a good bet your phone does.
Live vicariously through their excited search for the unknown. There’s a big, beautiful world out there.
When you get back home, have them draw in small pieces of papers, what they remember from the walk, and tape them on the wall, then, so they can remember their experience, and look forward to the next outing.
