DJC#022 – Stay Curious, Stay Sharp: Tips for Raising Inquisitive Kids

Curiosity is what keeps us evolving as humans – wondering, creating and optimizing. Children are the legends of asking what seems like a never-ending string of questions. But a funny thing tends to happen as they get older – the number of questions they ask diminishes.

When a child is a toddler, they will ask about 100 questions a day. By the time they are teenagers, they’re asking less than half of that. Sure some of it may have to do with being able to read and learn some things on their own, but that can’t be the whole story. How can we help our children continuing to be curious and ask questions as they age?

Curiosity is the Key

If they’re born with curiosity, then they’ll likely still have it with them as they grow up. Maybe it has to do with being in school all day and their teachers looking for answers, or maybe they’re afraid/embarrassed to ask in front of others? Maybe as parents, there are things we are inadvertently doing to stifle their curiosity? Here are three ways to help with their curiosity and yours:

Be Curious Too: Our kids learn by example, and nothing says “curious” like a Dad who’s interested in learning. Share your interests and discoveries, and ask them about theirs. I use it as a conversational icebreaker sometimes with our son. The more you show curiosity, the more they’ll follow. What child doesn’t want to be as cool as their Dad?
Question Everything (Within Reason): Embrace the barrage of “Why?” questions, even if they sound like a broken record. Instead of shutting them down, engage in the dialogue. Explore their questions together and encourage them to find answers. Let them have an opinion and question what you say. Teach them how to question respectfully, but let them ask. You might find that your responses are preprogrammed from your childhood without a good reason. Allowing to be questioned by your child, can give you a chance to think about the response.
Say Yes to Tangents: Sometimes, the best conversations come from unexpected tangents. If your child wants to know how rockets work while you’re making pancakes, go with it. Who knows, maybe pancakes and propulsion have more in common than we think!

The Power of Experiences and Exploration

I’m a big believer that experiences are at the core of life. And giving your child experiences over material things is going to open a world of possibilities to them. Allowing them to see what is in the world and be exposed to new things will allow them to become more aware and live a better life.

Plan outings that spark their curiosity like visits to museums, nature hikes, roadtrips, trips to new cities/states/countries or stay home and try out a new recipe together. These experiences ignite their imagination and show that learning happens beyond school walls.

Encourage them to try new things without the fear of failing – after all failing is only your First Attempt In Learning. Curiosity often leads to experimentation, and learning from mistakes is a lesson in itself that will likely be remembered more than the easy successes of life. Remember, even the best explorers got lost sometimes!

Tech, Tips, and Taking Chances

Technology can be a treasure trove of knowledge. Explore educational apps, documentaries, and podcasts together. Just remember to balance screen time with real-world adventures.

Open their door to new activities/hobbies. Hobbies are curiosity’s best friend. Encourage them to explore a variety of interests – from music to coding, gardening to building. Who knows, they might discover a lifelong passion! If they do and you see them finding something they are interested in, do what you can to kick open that door.

Curiosity Never Grows Old

As our kids grow, their curiosity can sometimes take a backseat to busy schedules and teenage indifference. But fear not! By setting an example, asking questions, embracing tangents, and creating experiences, we can keep that flame of curiosity burning bright. Remember, it’s all about nurturing their innate wonder and letting their minds wander.

And can we please retire the saying, “Curiosity killed the cat.”? I mean for all we know the cat was just not being safe. If we’re being real, we can change it to curiosity created the car, curiosity discovered the cure for polio, curiosity led to the computer, or curiosity resulted in any other invention/discovery/creation in our world. It all started with someone who was curious.

So, let’s keep being the guiding stars in our kids’ journeys of discovery – they’ll even end up teaching us quite a bit along the way!

Until next Sunday, be curious.