One trait that separates humans from animals is our curiosity, the fascination we have with discovering new things. The dopamine hit and mental energy that comes from satisfying curiosity can develop a golden outcome where mental growth leads to understanding, more confidence, and more fascination about life that is increasingly more satisfying. A lifetime of mental exploration in an infinite universe of discovery.
Isn’t this what we want for our kids?
What can you do to influence greater curiosity in your kids?
The first step in developing curiosity in your child is to acknowledge in yourself that you know precious little about the world in which you live. God has created a garden for you to play in, to care for, to share, to manage, and to learn about. He has provided you with some teammates to help you on your journey of discovery. Isn’t it easier for you to look through the eyes of your child to regain the fascination with this incredible garden? The more fascination, wonder, and awe you demonstrate on a daily basis, the more your children will model that curiosity.
And so that’s how you teach your children the skill of curiosity – taking them from fascination about the wonder of things, through the label of naming them, discovering how things work, brainstorming on how they relate to other things, and dreaming of ways in which it could be different.
For example, every 3 year-old asks “Why?” endlessly. Sure, it’s a new word and sure there’s power in that word, but look what’s happening. “Why?” gets mom to stop and talk. “Why?” gets dad to explain. The little brain soaks it all up and desires more of that kind of interaction. The closer you are physically to them, touching them, talking with them, spending time with them, the more they will be energized to ask questions. If you can find the time to really focus on going with their natural curiosity, they will be rewarded multi-fold.
Using words like “FASCINATING!” and “Curious” and “Awesome!” and cool, neat, great, etc., where you ask questions to the air – “Hey, come check this out! This is awesome. I wonder how that dragonfly can do that? I’m curious how it can hover in mid air like that? It’s fascinating that it can fly backwards. I wonder how many types of dragonflies there are. Why can’t we fly like that do you suppose?”
“Hey bud, check this out. The pitcher is throwing over 90 mph. The batter has maybe a second to figure out whether it’ll be a ball or a strike, a curve ball, fastball or slider, and tell his muscles to swing or hold. And if he swings, he has to think about the path the energy has to take from his eyes to his brain to every part of his body – all within a fraction. That’s crazy!! Imagine if you were an electronic pulse going from his brain to his body, what path would you take to get everything to work in coordination?”
“Isn’t it fascinating that music can make you feel a certain way? Look at this video of this little girl dancing. You can just tell she feels the music from head to her toes. And you have favorite songs you like to sing, why is that? Those songs make you happy, but what is happiness and why do songs affect you? Do you know how music is made? Let’s check out some instruments and see if we can satisfy our curiosity about sounds!” And on into infinity.
Early learning establishes fundamentals – everything always falls down, mom and dad don’t actually vanish during peek-a-boo, and mom and dad shape reality with their words and actions. Every layer of life has a layer below it. And below it, another layer. Curiosity asks the question “Why?” and mom and dad feed that natural desire with a lifetime of wonderful (full of wonder) inputs.
Be wonder-full.
To your curious, wonderful, awe-filled life,
Lis and Dave Marr