Did you know that October 9 is Curious Events Day? We all know that preschoolers are naturally curious. After all, they are known for their constant questions about how things work, why things happen, and what will happen next. Parents and teachers have probably heard a million “why” questions, and that endless curiosity might feel tiring some days. But this curiosity is actually one of our kids’ greatest strengths. Curiosity leads to learning, creativity, and problem-solving. In fact, curiosity is the way that children make sense of the world and discover their own abilities. So even when it feels infuriating, let’s try to inspire curiosity in our preschoolers.
Why Curiosity Matters
When children are curious, they’re motivated to learn. And discovery always works better than simply memorizing facts. Instead of basic memorization, our kids can learn to actively think, experiment, and figure things out. Curiosity helps build persistence, confidence, and even empathy, because curious kids ask questions not only about objects, but about people, feelings, and stories too.
Another way to think about it: a curious mind is a growing mind. So let’s inspire curiosity in our preschoolers and help them with their growing minds! Here are a few simple ways to inspire curiosity in our kids.
Ways to Inspire Curiosity
Follow Their Lead
If your child wants to watch ants on the sidewalk or splash in puddles a little longer, that’s a good thing. When we let them explore at their own pace, it shows them that their interests matter. So let’s encourage their thinking with gentle prompts like, “What do you notice?” or “What do you think will happen next?”
Use Everyday Moments
Curiosity doesn’t need special equipment or a classroom. When we cook together with our kids, it becomes a science experiment. Or when we take a walk outside, it can turn into an adventure as we look for different leaf shapes or listen for bird songs. All of our everyday moments with our families can be a chance to inspire curiosity in our kids.
Ask Questions Together
Often, when our kids are asking “WHY?”, we are focused on getting them an answer. What if instead of rushing to give answers, we try wondering with our kids? We could say, “That’s a good question. How could we find out?” This kind of response models curiosity for our kids, and it shows them that even grown-ups don’t know everything. We’re all growing and learning, and that’s great!
Encourage Creative Thinking
Activities like building, painting, or pretend play inspire curiosity in our kids. And while they are building or creating, let’s ask curiosity-inspiring questions. When we ask what else these blocks could make or what would happen if we tried a different way, we inspire curiosity in our preschoolers. And the bonus is that these moments build imagination and flexible thinking too.
Read to Explore
Stories are wonderful for building curiosity, but there are also books about nature, emotions, space, or how things work. When a topic catches your child’s interest, see if there’s a book about that topic to check out from the library. Preschoolers can really get into topical books too, and as we read these factual books to them, some of their curiosity can be satisfied. Reading books about different topics teaches our kids one source of information to help them with what they want to know.
Watch to Explore
There are so many educational shows to inspire curiosity in your preschooler, and to answer some of their questions too. We’re pretty proud of our educational series at My Signing Time. We have an app that is completely ad-free, so kids are always seeing only what they are supposed to be seeing. Take a look at our free-to-watch section here.
Keeping the Wonder Alive
As children grow, it’s natural for there to be less curiosity, but it doesn’t have to fade away. When we respond to their questions with patience and excitement while they are little, we teach them that asking why is something to explore, not to rush past.
Our children’s curiosity is a sign of their growing independence and love of learning. So the next time they stop to watch a snail inch along the sidewalk or ask the same question for the tenth time, take a deep breath, smile. Then let’s remember that this is how they learn to understand their world, one why question at a time.
Curiosity is contagious. When we parents approach life with wonder by noticing the colors of autumn leaves, asking questions about the stars, or laughing together over a silly science experiment, our children see that learning never stops. It inspires curiosity in our preschoolers and in our teenagers. So let’s lead the way in inspiring curiosity.
So when our kids ask “why?”, we don’t have to have all the answers. We just have to stay curious with them. Every shared question and every moment of discovery are reminders to our kids that the world is full of things that are worth exploring. And really, it’s way more fun to explore together. Let’s get it started by inspiring curiosity in our preschoolers!