Igniting the Spark of Curiosity to Learn More in Kids
You might have noticed a higher desire to know things in kids than in adults. This is because curiosity is extremely high in kids and necessarily so. If necessity is the mother of inventions, curiosity is the vehicle that drives the “why/ how/ what”. Albert Einstein once said, “The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size”.
A mind that is curious will explore more horizons to find answers that others cannot. Studies have shown that a child with a higher curiosity is more likely to excel and develop academically as well as beyond that. It is children who are curious who explore the otherwise “normal” things and surprise their surroundings. Imagine if Newton wasn’t curious and he simply had eaten the apple, the world would have never known about gravity!
It is also a known fact that children are naturally curious as they are open to learning new things to grow. However, you may have noticed that adults, on the other hand, somewhat suppress their curiosity in the shadow of fear of being incorrect or to save the embarrassment of not being right. It is important to know that the one who is not open to learning is not open to growth.
As one of the best schools in Bangalore, we, at MS Dhoni Global School, adopt certain measures that ignite the spark of curiosity in our students. Our strategically designed environment works as a stimulant to fuel the desire to know and learn more in students. Consequently, we also make sure that this curiosity in students is rightly fed to further facilitate learning and growth for overall development.
Well, turns out it is equally important to stimulate curiosity in your children at home as it is in school. Thus, here we share some highly effective ways in which you can ignite the spark of curiosity in kids for enhanced learning in school as well as at home.
Encourage their questions
The reason why most adults kill their curiosity is because they’re afraid of asking questions that may or may not be wrong. Eventually, this restricts their growth in terms of knowledge and learning. However, if you build a habit in your children to ask questions when they are curious, this will help them go a long way. The best way to do so is to encourage their questions by appreciating them. If your child is curious about something, help them to frame the right question and ask it out loud. Creating a comfort zone where there is the freedom to ask questions will also build a strong and healthy foundation between you and your child that’ll be immensely helpful in future.
Be patient while they ask questions
It is extremely common to be annoyed at kids when they keep asking new questions every now and then. However, there is a whole different world that revolves in their mind when they ask questions. As a parent, try to be as patient as you can while your kids ask questions. The answers that you provide will help shape their world within and connect them with growth and development.
It is thus necessary to avoid reprimanding your kids simply because they are curious about things. Once they’re scared of asking questions, they’ll start killing their curiosity which will restrict growth. It can even lead them to unfair sources of information the effects of which can be adverse and beyond. Thus, a little patience from your end today can help them go a long way as a curious individual.
Engage kids in relevant activities
Besides taking to the natural and obvious ways of igniting the spark of curiosity in kids, you may even go the extra mile to develop that strategically. Learning playfully is one fine way of teaching necessary skills to kids. Here, they get the opportunity to explore, analyze, think critically and even resolve challenges that may have shown up. Activities that demand the involvement of children nourish the chances of building a mindset where curiosity thrives and promotes creative thinking. Playing in groups, solving puzzles, solving treasure hunt clues, etc. are a great way of engaging kids in activities that promote curiosity at home.
Besides these measures, growth in children demands a nutritious diet to feed their body and mind’s appetite for the right nutrients. The right balance will strike an all-round development of curiosity and growth in your kids accompanied by their excellence at school and at other things.