Being curious may be the most powerful learning strategy of them all as children grow and develop. Curiosity is definitely a key factor in kindergarten readiness. Dr. Bruce Perry calls curiosity The Fuel of Development. Being curious promotes all kinds of brain connections and stimulates discovery and questions. Did you know that by the time children are four years old they have asked about 40,000 probing questions?
While children seem to have more than enough curiosity, sometimes to the point of being unsafe, it’s still important to encourage it. Providing things for them to explore and activities for them to try will feed their curiosity. Asking questions about what is happening will give them a basis for asking their own questions. Of course, we need to give kids answers too and be enthusiastic about what they are exploring. Often, we can extend the learning by providing an answer and another question.
For example, this little girl is checking out what is in the plant pot. As she lifts it up a parent or caregiver could ask what do you see? Is there something in there? With dirt and plants, chances are pretty good there will be a bug or two and the child will want to know why it is there. After giving her an answer, some extension questions might be to ask her what the bug is doing or if she sees any more bugs. This will lead to more exploration.
Curiosity plays a vital role in early childhood development. What are some ways that you can support your child’s curiosity today?