“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney
Kids are born curious, and their natural eagerness to explore and learn forms one of their prime qualities. Be it an eight-month-old baby putting the rattle in her mouth to see what it can do or a five-year-old asking about the source of all the water in oceans, the curiosity of the young minds only changes form as they grow up. As such, the most important thing that we, the adults, can do here is not to let that curious streak go away and find ways to encourage this inquisitiveness. And today, we, at DPS Sushant Lok, recognized among the top 10 schools in Gurgaon, have a few suggestions for our parent fraternity on how you all can successfully foster curiosity in your kids through some simple activities at home.
Follow your kids’ lead in fostering curiosity
At DPS Sushant Lok, we firmly believe that one of the most effective ways to foster curiosity is to encourage the natural interests of children. Kids find it easier to learn through activities that capture their imagination and attention. For instance, if they love music, play it for them often and sing along together. You can also enroll them in music classes where they get to explore their interest even further.
Making small changes to their daily routine
We have always emphasized the significance of having a daily routine for the kids. But, at the same time, occasional minor changes in the daily habits can make their brain think in different ways, which aids in provoking curiosity. It does not have to be a life-altering modification, but only a simple change. For example, you can change their breakfast staples or the bar of soap they usually use. This will give them a new direction to think about and will help expand their knowledge horizons in the process.
Stimulate the young minds with open-ended questions
The open-ended questions neither have a right or wrong response nor can they be answered with only one word like “yes” or “no.” Think of questions like “How do you feel about…” “What happened at school today?” or “What was the experience like for you?” These types of questions help encourage children to develop their ideas and help them explore more about their inner thoughts and beliefs.
Let them hear more open-ended stories from you
Reading a tale before going to bed at night is a good habit that helps children calm down and sleep well. However, a piece of advice from us at DPS Sushant Lok would be to avoid reading the same story time and again and make it monotonous. Instead, opt for open-ended stories that give children something to think about every time. Let the children come up with alternative endings and titles to the books. It will pique their curiosity while helping them work on their language skills.
Be prepared to answer the questions they come up with
Children tend to ask questions continuously, and sometimes the questions can go from tough to bizarre. But you need to be patient in answering those questions and solving their doubts if the aim is to foster curiosity in them. When you brush their queries away as juvenile or unimportant, it discourages their inquisitive nature, which is nothing but a manifestation of their curious minds.
Redirect the questions instead of discouraging the kids
It is completely understandable if you do not have the answers to all their questions. And this is where you should take the opportunity to show the kids the ways to satiate their curiosity. Accompany them to the local library or explore the internet together with them to find the answers. If it is something related to science and has a small experiment involved with it, you can get together with your kids and try to find the solution together.
Everybody knows that the greatest inventions and innovations of the world have all been driven by indomitable curiosity. And we, at DPS Sushant Lok, one of the top 10 schools in Gurgaon, are very much certain that our young innovators and inventors will also drive many of such wonderful changes if we foster their curious streak from a young age. So, let us come together to encourage and satiate their curiosity from an early stage and nurture our young buds into lifelong learners.