Instilling curiosity in young minds is a critical step in a child’s socio-emotional development. It encourages them to explore and inquire about the world around them. As one of the six Life Essentials® curriculum outcomes, Kiddie Academy® makes a concerted effort to ensure children are inspired to become lifelong learners.
Sparking a desire and passion for long-term learning in children teaches them to seek out information and answers and experience the enjoyment of learning something new, all while fostering cognitive skills and scientific thinking. Through the Life Essentials curriculum, we can foster curiosity in a variety of ways, but it always starts with our educators taking the child’s lead.
By intentionally asking “who, what, when, where, and why” questions, children are inspired to explore their surroundings, observe and experiment with cause and effect, make predictions, and understand how others see the world. Activities that can support the development of curiosity include playing with toys that have varying textures, sounds, and shapes, engaging in discussions where children are asked to describe what they see, observing animals in their natural habitat, reading a story together and guessing what might happen next, and making comparisons.
Encouraging children to pursue knowledge and connect with one another to discover new things has benefits that last a lifetime, and it starts with cultivating an environment where curiosity can thrive.
