How to Raise an Inquisitive Child

Encouraging children to be inquisitive will not only help them to learn, but their curiosity could lead to the next generation of inventors, scientists and environmental engineers!

Some children are naturally curious and others require a little inspiration. There are many things that parents can do to spark a child’s imagination and get them asking questions. Here are some great ideas from an Independent school in Hertfordshire on how you can raise an inquisitive child…

Encourage your child to ask questions

Help your child to see the benefits of asking questions. Make them excited about expanding their knowledge. For example, if your child is learning about a particular topic at school, ask them to tell you what they have learnt. See if they can answer your questions about the topic. If they can then they are likely to feel very proud of themselves. If they can’t, then you can explore the topic together and they can tell the teacher other interesting facts they have learnt at home. 

Take them out of their comfort zone

Another way to encourage an inquisitive nature is by taking your child out of their comfort zone. Start by making some simple changes to their usual routine. These changes will help to stimulate your child’s curiosity and encourage them to try new experiences. For example, you could try a new recipe for dinner or visit a new park in your local area.

Help them to find the answers 

When your child comes to you with questions, always try your best to answer them, even if you’re busy or you don’t know the answer. If you turn them away they may feel hesitant to ask you more questions in the future. If you don’t know the answer to their question you could suggest researching it together. In addition, if your child asks you a delicate question, it is best to answer them honestly. Fabricating an answer can cause confusion and more importantly, if your child learns later on that you were dishonest, it could damage their trust in you.