
5 SIMPLE THINGS EVERY PARENT & TEACHER CAN DO TO NURTURE A CHILD’S CURIOSITY
by Anubha Bhatla
Yes! Curious might seem like the most obvious choice of word for baby or a toddler. And yet “Bored” seems to be the most commonly used refrain from children as they get older. Babies are naturally curious about the world around them and curiosity is known by researchers, educators and parents to be one of “the most important” engines of learning and innovation. Research and even the most casual observations of children, however reveals that curiosity wanes in children as they get older. No wonder that surveys like Gallup find that only about 30% of the U.S workforce is engaged and the worldwide numbers are a dismal 13%. Younger workers are the least engaged aka they are effectively bored.
Can we “as parents” and “as teachers” hack the system & thwart this pattern? Turns out it is simply a matter of “letting the child’s curiosity be” and if possible consistently “fuel it”. Parents often ask us “What can I do as a parent to nurture curiosity in my child”.
Here are my 5 cents: