Photo by Make Less Noise

Curiosity is a natural way to learn about the world. Encourage your children’s curiosity & increase their desire to learn though these fun strategies:

1. Encourage your child to ask more questions by answering them to the best of your ability. If you don’t know the answer, look it up together.
2. Sometimes children’s questions can be relentless. When this happens answer the question with a question. Ask your child to make a hypothesis or deduction based on information they already have or based or prior experiences.
3. Ask your child lots of questions when you are out & about or in the middle of a teachable moment. Expect your child to use higher order thinking skills, too. For example, when visiting Plymouth Plantation ask your child to deduce what a room was used for based on clues they find in the room. You can also ask them to make observations about the houses & compare them to their own home. What does your home have that these homes do not? Why do you think these homes do not have those things?
4. Ask your own genuine questions when your child is with you. For example, if you wonder why certain plants won’t grow in particular parts of your yard, say so out loud near your child & go through the process of finding the answer. Remember you are your child’s model. Children imitate adult behavior – even older kids – so give them a great example of what it means to be curious, & show them where you find the answers to questions.
5. Have an adventure! Novel experiences stimulate the mind. If you give your child a wide variety of experiences to draw from, your child will be more likely to have questions. Go hiking. Go to museums. Try Geocaching or Letterboxing together.
6. Play with your children & encourage imaginative play! Your involvement in imaginative play will change the play scenarios & encourage thinking skills.
7. Read to your child. Remember to read a variety of genres – poetry, nonfiction, historical fiction, science fiction, etc. Try reading aloud genres that your child typically does not read on his/her own to broaden their horizons. New ideas presented as you read open your child up to new ways of thinking. This is also an opportunity to ask more questions. Encourage your child to also ask questions while you read.
8. Let your child take the lead. Observe your child in a new situation. What does he find interesting? What is your child drawn to? Take some time to draw that out of your child. Use your observations to plan future adventures incorporating your child’s interests.

Enjoy your children’s natural curiosity & let yourself be taken away by it from time to time.

How do you inspire your child’s natural curiosity? Tell us in the comments or join in the discussion at the Homeschool Bliss Forum.

Colleen Felz is the Homeschooling Coach! Find more tips & curriculum ideas as well as stories about the joy & trials of homeschooling at her personal blog, Homeschooling Coach.