From as early as 2 years old, a child’s brain begins to ponder, and they start to ask questions about the world around them. As they do, they learn new things and strengthen their brain by putting it to practice. We have teamed up with a boys’ school in Surrey to share our tips for raising an inquisitive child with you below.
Ask Them Questions
Asking questions can help you to stimulate your child’s curiosity and get them thinking about new perspectives and ideas. You can make it a part of their morning routine by asking questions that they need to come back with the answers to by dinner time.
Ask WHY
The question “why” helps us to get deeper and can help your child to become more inquisitive. You can encourage them to think beyond the information that they are given and become better thinkers.
Watch Documentaries
A documentary will enlighten you as to how much you don’t know about the world and surprise you with all new facts. They can teach your child and expand their general knowledge whilst inspiring their curiosity further. There are plenty of different genres as well, so you will be bound to find something. There’s everything from the animal kingdom to the royal family.
Take Them to a Museum
Museums house the rare and quirky artefacts that they may have heard about in school. It can help them to solidify what they have learned and spur their curiosity as they are able to analyse them up close. An art museum in particular is a great place to do this as art is open to interpretation which can get them thinking.
Try Not to Be Dismissive
Children tend to go through a phase in their childhood where they ask questions about almost anything and everything. While you may not know the answer, it’s important to acknowledge them and try to promote their curiosity in whichever way you can. Being dismissive and acting as if they are being a nuisance can lead to retreat where they no longer share their inquisitive thoughts and ideas.
Find The Answers Out Together
No one is an expert in everything. We all have our own forte and not knowing the answers to your child’s questions is okay. It actually offers you the opportunity to guide their curiosity as you can both investigate and find the truth together. Lying never goes down well and can ruin the trust and respect that your child has for you when they find things out for themselves.
Ask Open Ended Questions
Closed ended questions limit the scope of thinking and can restrict what a child is able to find out and learn. Asking open ended questions puts the power in their hands and gives them the opportunity to take their learning in whichever direction they wish.
Set an Example
You can raise your child to be inquisitive by making an effort to learn new things. It doesn’t end once you become an adult and continuing to learn can help you in many respects. They don’t need to be career or education related either. They could be simple things like learning how something works and how to recreate something delicious from a restaurant menu.
Take Them to The Library
The library is a place that’s brimming with books and knowledge. They can go there to get to the bottom of their burning questions and just simply explore.
Last Updated on 10 months by Lavania Oluban