Fostering Wonder in our Children

When my kids were little it seemed their favourite word was why, closely followed by no. Keeping that inquisitive mind ticking is essential for growth and learning. Questioning how something works or why something happens opens the door for possibility and understanding.

Here are some ways you can spark their interest in the world by simply asking your child questions.

1. Asking questions goes both ways, ask your kids questions, get them thinking and wondering why.

2. Don’t just talk about how things work, question the bigger issues in your community and the world around you. Try to come up with solutions together.

3. Don’t rush to provide an answer, give your child a chance to think through a scenario and come up with

their own solution. It will also mean more to your children that they solved the problem and will stick in their memory longer.

4. Encourage your child to be curious, to have their eyes open to their surroundings.

5. Ask open ended questions.

6. Question the little things. How does a toaster work? How do worms breathe underground, especially when it rains?

7. Welcome their questions, whenever they come. If they are told not now, they may feel they are unable to ask in the future.

8. It’s ok not to know the answer. Adults often feel they have to have the answers but it’s actually great not to know. It shows your child that learning happens throughout life. We don’t get to a magical age and know everything. Showing them how to find the answers is just as important.

By giving children the ability to question you are developing a lifelong skill that will serve them throughout their life. Wondering why supports language development, problem solving and critical thinking. By getting children to question and think about the world around them allows them to develop creative ideas, develop empathy and gain a greater understanding of the world they live in.