Developing Curiosity In Your Child
Young children are naturally curious, but it’s also important for those around them to nurture this in them. Developing curiosity in your children will encourage them to be keen learners, ever wanting to find out more, and as adults, this trait can continue, allowing them to advance in their chosen field. As a parent, you are best placed to nurture curiosity in your child and there are a number of ways you can do this.
Five ways to develop curiosity in your child
1. Use unstructured play.
Give your child access to plenty of open-ended play, giving them practical ways to indulge their curiosity. Some examples include craft materials, sand and water play, construction toys and imaginative play, but the possibilities are endless. Often, such activities may involve items you may not consider toys at all, but if it is safe and practical for them to use these things, allow them to see where their curiosity will take them.
2. Books.
Young children love fascinating facts and the bigger and the more bizarre the better! With books geared towards children available on all sorts of topics, your child can indulge his or her curiosity across time and to the far reaches of the universe. Books for children are mostly challenging reads, with complicated facts presented in a way that children can understand. Read these books with your child and you too will be likely to find out something new, giving you the chance to model yourself as a curious learner.
3. Create a stimulating environment.
Make your home a stimulating and accessible one. If there are too many breakable items your child is not allowed to touch, his or her curiosity could be stilted. However, lots of interesting pictures and objects they can handle will make the home a fascinating place. Make changes whenever possible with new pictures or objects to encourage your child to find out more.
4. Answer questions.
As their parents, your child probably views you as the fountain of all knowledge and will have endless questions, many of which you may not be able to answer. It is important that you do not treat these questions as a nuisance, but instead praise your child for wanting to learn more. If you can answer the question, it may be the start of an interesting discussion between the two of you. If not, you can model to your child how to find out. Thanks to the internet, finding an answer is usually a quick process, although as your child’s curiosity develops, they may start asking questions which even the top thinkers of history have failed to work out!
5. Make use of your child’s passions.
Children are well known for having strong enthusiasms for particular topics. For one child it might be dinosaurs, for another it might be outer space, but whatever it is, this is an area where your child will be particularly keen to learn more. As well as finding books, toys and videos related to their passion, try to incorporate it into days out. Children at international schools in Singapore have access to a wide range of attractions and environments, making it easy to find one to make your child particularly curious.
Beyond the home
Students at AIS have plenty of opportunities to indulge their curiosity and that starts with our very youngest learners. In the Early Learning Village, classrooms include both indoor and outdoor learning areas with a vast range of activities to encourage learning and exploration. Even for older children, where the curriculum is more structured, we continue to nurture our student’s curiosity through our inquiry-based approach to learning. Throughout their time at the school, we aim to see our students grow into innovators who are excited about the world around them, and making their own difference for good.
