Research has shown that trying new things, looking for new adventures, and being interested in others promote overall well-being. Instead of being inwardly focused, curious children are aware of what’s going on around them. The more experiences they gather, the better they become at differentiating between them, and their curiosity about what makes one experience different from the next will grow. As they reach out to what is around them, their discoveries are cataloged. Ultimately, curiosity gives children opportunities to become more confident and that grows self-sufficiency.Īccording to the American Academy of Pediatrics, sensory play is an excellent way to spark a young child’s curiosity. When your child is occupied with imagination-about how things work, about discovering solutions to challenges that everyday interactions in the world afford-they are more likely to be able to figure things out in other situations. Naturally curious children can go “un-entertained,” a.k.a. The old saying “curiosity killed the cat” isn’t too far off the mark when you consider most of the trouble that kids get into starts with boredom. Curiosity Counteracts Boredom & Grows Self-Sufficiency Keep answering those questions-even when it seems like you’re on 1,999,999 because a persistent child is a resilient child. Instead of “giving up” on an idea, they keep turning it over, examining it from new angles and different perspectives. One observation leads to another, and “what ifs” become “how could.” The countless questions often fired from the back seat of your car are exhibits of your child’s persistence. But, when you simply must know who, what, when, where, and why, you rarely run out of questions, and you rarely quit.Ĭurious kids simply don’t run out of questions. If you can’t think of a way out, you quit. Have you ever been stumped? You’re literally out of ideas, and the best option is to chuck it all and go home. Related: 13 Beautiful Books for Curious Kids Curiosity Breeds Persistence & Scientific Thinking iStock “When you learn to ask more questions-especially in ambiguous situations-you’re building ‘curiosity muscles,'” says Liz Guthridge, founder of Connect Consulting Group. ![]() Developing a curiosity skillset can help create your children’s psychological safety, which is the idea that someone feels safe or not afraid of being labeled or criticized for saying what they are thinking and feeling, as well as equip them with a healthy response to operating amid uncertainty.Ĭuriosity is also a healthy response for a child operating amid uncertainty seeking more information helps children feel more empowered, which combats the anxiety of helplessness. ![]() The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) reports children’s depression and anxiety rates may have doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Curiosity Builds Psychological Safety & Is a Healthy Response to Uncertainty Our role is to give time and free rein to inherent curiosity and questions and let our students exist in the heightened state of hungering for knowledge,” explains education advisor and professor Eric Shonstrom. Our role as teachers is not to provide answers. “Curiosity does not hold up well under intense expectation. Curiosity and learning are, therefore, less about finding answers than about the process of seeking understanding.Įducators who slow down and provide students time to wonder and be curious about an idea before expecting them to provide a rote answer are adept at fostering curiosity in the classroom. Most interestingly, kids remember lessons the most when they were stumped in the first place. Curiosity Drives LearningĪs noted in Psychological Science, “Researchers have demonstrated that curiosity-long thought to help motivate learning-is also associated with better learning outcomes.” Simply-a child’s curiosity about a subject correlates with whether they’ll retain what they learn. Here are five reasons why supporting your curious kid is more important than ever. And since research suggests that curiosity is an accelerant, if not a root cause of learning, then it’s no surprise that educators are taking a closer look at the relationship between natural curiosity in kids and skills that predict success in life. ![]() They say that curiosity may have killed the cat, but as it turns out, it’s a great thing in kids. How many questions a day do you answer? Probably thousands, right? Congrats.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |