A curious child is likely to learn more quickly. Helping him build this curiosity would make him yearn for knowledge and information all through his life. Babies are curious to learn right from birth, wanting to know how things around them function and why.
A parent or caregiver need not work on making the kid curious about things. According to research, a kid is likely to assimilate more and quickly if he's got the inner desire to learn and experience life, and not when he's being pushed by an external force to grasp things.
A newborn uses his eyes to follow faces, sounds, and interesting items around.
An 8-month-old baby rattles things and puts them into his mouth to decipher the object.
Toddlers use a stool to grab the phone placed on a counter top.
Tips on Nurturing Your Child's Curiosity:
Develop interest in worldly things
Take a stroll outdoors and sink into the trees, stars, and sky. When you're following your passion or interests, ensure your child is a live witness.
Follow your kid's lead
Foster natural interests. Kids are likely to learn through practice or activities that hold their imaginations and attention. If the kid likes playing music, play music for him frequently, dance together, and also play and make musical instruments in tandem.
Respond to queries in a clear and simple way and as per the development of your kid
Your answers to your kid's questions would vary based on if he is three or 13. For instance, you would not talk about how babies are made to a three-year-old kid, but may not hesitate discussing the same with a 13-year-old child. And regardless of the age of the kid, find out what the kid's thinking before offering an answer.
And if you cannot answer, admit it. The child should know you may not have all the answers. Also, this helps the kid learn how to find answers when they're not easily available. Take him to the local library or contact someone who has the answer.
Use the library
Local library branches have fixed story time - find out the timings for your local library. Young kids who get to know books early become better readers. As per studies, the subject matter of the book being read doesn't matter. The important thing is the kid is enjoying reading and is at it with great interest.
Make your kid think with open ended queries
Open ended questions are those that do not have a definite answer and are open to one's interpretation or imagination. Putting such questions to kids makes them develop their ideas and thoughts, also letting you find out more about your kid from within.
Create an interesting surrounding
Babies tend to spend a fifth of their total awake time looking around at things. Generally, routine family activity and wall pictures happen to grab their fancy more. Therefore, provide your baby with objects worth exploring and safe toys.
Redirect but do not put them down
Try figuring out things that are capturing the baby's interest or the skill he is trying to excel at, and erect an acceptable and safe route for him to explore. For instance, if your toddler likes exploring houseplants, make the plant inaccessible for the baby but offer a suitable alternative. If he likes pouring cup water onto a floor or high chair, take him to the bathroom so that he can explore water much more freely. This should also help the child develop problem-solving skills, and become more creative at things.
Make time for open ended stuff
Materials such as blocks, boxes, sand, water, pans and pots, etc. could be used imaginatively. Don't instruct your kid on how to use the material. Just sit back and witness what the kid's curiosity leads him to.