8 Ways to Support Curious and Creative Children

child with Educator looking through a microscope, curious, learning

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At Guardian we embrace play-based learning to spark children’s curiosity and build their confidence, empowering them to see the world through a lens of endless possibilities.

We work to develop skills that will help our children thrive in the 21st century, including creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and problem solving.

But learning doesn’t stop when a child leaves the classroom. 

A child’s mind develops faster in the first five years than any other time in their life, so it’s important for us as Educators and parents to consistently provide opportunities for children to explore their curiosity and get creative.

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” – Mary Lou Cook 

So, how can we, as role models support our children’s creativity and curiosity in the early years? 

Here are 8 ways that you can support your child’s curiosity and creativity every single day.

Remember that they’re always watching

Children are born curious and spend their every waking moment observing, learning and trying to understand the world around them. This extends to our actions as parents and carers. 

In an article written for Very Well Mind, Kendra Cherry, MS, explains, “As kids interact with the world around them, they continually add new knowledge, build upon existing knowledge, and adapt previously held ideas to accommodate new information.”

This means that every time you stop and smell the roses, or dance like no one’s watching – for example, the simple act of doing something curious or creative – your child is learning to act out and explore those emotions.

 

Prompt curiosity sparking conversations

We’ve all been asked the classic “but why is the sky blue?” at some point or other. It may be tempting to quickly provide a reason and move on, but as children do not learn by simply being told, we need to take a more nonlinear path. 

Using questioning language “helps children develop a lifelong passion for learning and empower themselves and their curiosity in self-directed exploration,” according to Dr. KH Kim in an article for The Creativity Post.

Some useful conversation starters include:

  • “I wonder what would happen if…”
  • “Let’s find out…”
  • “Could we do it this way…?”
  • “Why do you think…?” 

Let your child take the wheel

There’s no denying that structure and routine is incredibly beneficial for growing minds, but there’s also a certain beauty in going with the flow. The simple act of taking an alternative route on your walk home from the park, lingering in a shopping aisle or letting them pick their T-shirt can make all the difference to a child’s world. 

Showing children respect and understanding instils a sense of empowerment and self-identity, as they learn that their unique ways of viewing and being in the world will be supported.

Educator outside with discussing garden, sparking children's curiosity

Create a curious space

Although children are naturally curious and creative, they also need space and opportunities to flex those specific muscles. Each of our childcare centres are designed with environments for children to explore and learn based on their individual interests.

These types of activities can be easily replicated at home by presenting children with materials that act as a blank canvas, such as building blocks, art supplies and open-ended resources, letting them express themselves through these vessels. It will probably get messy, but the conversations and learnings that follow will be invaluable!

Mix it up

Interacting with diverse groups supports children’s curiosity and compassion. According to a resource published by the Queensland Government and the Queensland Studies Authority, in mixed age groups, “The younger children benefit from the positive models of older children, often aspiring to their levels of capability. At the same time, the older children rise to the expectations of the younger children and teacher, being very responsible and having opportunities to lend and use their expertise.”

At Guardian, we celebrate the diverse range of cultural backgrounds amongst our children and Educators. We encourage our Educators and families to share their heritage and traditions with the children. This is done by exploring different cultural holidays, dishes, songs and books.

Multi-age experiences are also an excellent way to nurture children’s curiosity and creativity. Whether they are interacting with older or younger siblings, relatives, friends, or classmates, children become inquisitive when regularly playing with those at different ages to them.

group of children and babies laying on a mat with books and toys, learning, sitting with Educators

Embrace the world around you

Exploring our local community is a core part of our program at Guardian, as it not only offers an infinite number of learning opportunities, but it sparks a number of conversations and investigations that would otherwise not have happened.

Venturing out into the local area allows children to explore the world around them, form their identities and feel a part of a community – all while propelling their creative and curious tendencies.

Play along

Humans are incredibly social creatures – and our need for socialising and participating in activities starts from a young age. As adults, we are often invited to play in children’s imaginative worlds, and when we embrace these worlds, rather than trying to alter them or question their authenticity, it can be a wonderful adventure.

Whether we’re playing as a matchbox car or purchasing items from a pretend shop, our input and support can enable children to learn and grow as we create opportunities to build a supportive and trusting relationship them, building them up in the process.

Educator playing with babies and infants

Practice (and patience) makes perfect

Supporting creativity and curiosity in children doesn’t have to be a complicated activity. Through simple daily activities, both spontaneous and planned, you can support your child in their learning and development journey all throughout their early childhood.

Some fun and simple ways include anything from baking together, doing the gardening or collecting the mail – tasks that are often considered as chores for adults, are actually seen as exciting and interesting learning experiences for your child to take part in!

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