How to Raise an Inquisitive Child

Children are born with a natural curiosity as they have so much to learn about the world around them. They start by exploring and using their senses to understand things, but when they learn to talk and form sentences, they start to ask questions. These questions often help to validate their own opinions, while also allowing them to make sense of everything. This inquisitive nature should be something that parents foster, as explored below by a primary school in Hillingdon.

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Try and create an open atmosphere within your home in which your child is able to express their thoughts and opinions without judgement. If you shut them down when they’re talking about something that you don’t necessarily agree with or have an understanding of, they might be reluctant to think aloud again in the future. 

Encourage them to ask questions by asking questions of your own, like “How do you think this film/book might end?” or “Why do you think this might be?”. This will help to develop their critical thinking and motivate them to think outside of the box and uncover answers. 

You could introduce “Question of the Week” at Monday mealtimes to inspire your child. Don’t be afraid to tell your child if you don’t know the answers to their questions. Use it as an opportunity for the two of you to do some research and understand the topic a little better. 

You should also chat to them about the perspectives of other people so that they start to understand that the knowledge they currently have isn’t the only knowledge available. This could be in reference to anything from religion and culture to health and politics. Try and mix up your routine from time to time to allow your child to try new things on a regular basis. You don’t have to travel the world to make this happen, just introduce some simple changes here and there like a new recipe. 

This is a collaborative post.