WEBVTT 00:00:03.589 --> 00:00:07.190 Hello and welcome to Blooming Curious, the podcast 00:00:07.190 --> 00:00:09.910 that's all about nurturing that natural curiosity 00:00:09.910 --> 00:00:13.070 in our earliest kids and students. I'm Edwina, 00:00:13.490 --> 00:00:16.210 your host from the Ed's Lessons blog, a passionate 00:00:16.210 --> 00:00:19.070 advocate for play and inquiry and on a mission 00:00:19.070 --> 00:00:21.949 to keep children curious and questioning. The 00:00:21.949 --> 00:00:24.809 days of talk and chalk are over. We're diving 00:00:24.809 --> 00:00:28.449 into the world of integrated, inquiry and nature 00:00:28.449 --> 00:00:30.989 -based learning and exploring those strategies 00:00:30.989 --> 00:00:34.469 that create lifelong learners. So if you're a 00:00:34.469 --> 00:00:37.149 classroom or a homeschool educator or even a 00:00:37.149 --> 00:00:40.469 curious parent, then this is the place for you. 00:00:42.530 --> 00:00:45.170 You know, it's so frustrating and heartbreaking 00:00:45.170 --> 00:00:47.590 when you're faced with children who are not interested 00:00:47.590 --> 00:00:50.270 in learning. In my own teaching, I regularly 00:00:50.270 --> 00:00:52.850 come across kids who are just not interested 00:00:52.850 --> 00:00:55.070 in learning. And when I've had conversations 00:00:55.070 --> 00:00:57.350 with parents, they say, my kid's not interested 00:00:57.350 --> 00:00:59.710 in anything. The only thing he wants to do is 00:00:59.710 --> 00:01:03.520 be on his iPad. These are difficult times and 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:06.319 we as parents and teachers are in competition 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.359 with a digital device that produces an incredible 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:12.359 amount of visual stimulation. We can't get away 00:01:12.359 --> 00:01:15.340 from digital devices, they're here to stay. So 00:01:15.340 --> 00:01:19.340 the question then becomes, how do we ensure that 00:01:19.340 --> 00:01:21.840 our children have a balance and remain curious 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.659 about the world around them? I think the trick 00:01:24.659 --> 00:01:27.319 is to start early and then to create habits that 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:30.340 easily become part of our daily routines. So 00:01:30.340 --> 00:01:32.799 today I'm going to talk about just five ways 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:36.280 we can help our kids stay curious. The first 00:01:36.280 --> 00:01:38.879 step towards creating an environment rich with 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:43.200 curiosity is you and me. We are the facilitators 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:46.189 of learning. It's our enthusiasm for learning 00:01:46.189 --> 00:01:48.930 and exploration that is the fuel that lights 00:01:48.930 --> 00:01:52.849 the fire in our kids. Our responses and our questions 00:01:52.849 --> 00:01:55.609 have the power to keep children's curiosity healthy 00:01:55.609 --> 00:01:58.810 and flourishing. Our words, our facial expression 00:01:58.810 --> 00:02:01.629 and our attitudes are the catalyst for instilling 00:02:01.629 --> 00:02:05.680 a love for learning and curiosity or not. As 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.020 educators and parents, we have the power to open 00:02:09.020 --> 00:02:12.719 up that world of awe and wonder and fascination 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:16.159 for children and to foster their natural curiosity 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:19.240 about the world around them. So if we want our 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:22.060 kids to be curious, and we really do need them 00:02:22.060 --> 00:02:24.240 to be if we want them to enjoy learning and meet 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:27.919 their full potential, then we need to model curiosity 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:31.009 and an interest in the world around us. When 00:02:31.009 --> 00:02:34.370 a child holds out their hand to us with a snail 00:02:34.370 --> 00:02:37.270 or a bug or a worm perched perfectly in the center, 00:02:37.750 --> 00:02:41.150 their eyes shining with excitement, at that moment, 00:02:41.650 --> 00:02:44.409 we have an opportunity to foster their curiosity 00:02:44.409 --> 00:02:48.110 and a lifelong love of learning or to just snuff 00:02:48.110 --> 00:02:52.229 it out. Our feelings about spiders and snails 00:02:52.229 --> 00:02:54.789 or worms are really not important. It's not about 00:02:54.789 --> 00:02:58.389 us. It's not about our feelings. It's about them. 00:02:58.750 --> 00:03:01.110 And when a child shows interest in something, 00:03:01.669 --> 00:03:04.229 and we help them find out more, which of course 00:03:04.229 --> 00:03:07.590 is the foundation of inquiry, it's not just children 00:03:07.590 --> 00:03:10.370 who learn, but it's also the perfect opportunity 00:03:10.370 --> 00:03:13.590 for us to learn alongside them. I can't tell 00:03:13.590 --> 00:03:15.370 you how many times I've learned about different 00:03:15.370 --> 00:03:17.530 animals and plants just by helping kids find 00:03:17.530 --> 00:03:22.189 information for their various interests. So remember, 00:03:22.650 --> 00:03:26.610 it's you and me people. The second way I think 00:03:26.610 --> 00:03:29.189 that we can keep kids curious is to get them 00:03:29.189 --> 00:03:32.810 outdoors. One of the best things we can do is 00:03:32.810 --> 00:03:36.150 to provide opportunities that will allow these 00:03:36.150 --> 00:03:39.849 kids to explore and be curious and nothing fascinates 00:03:39.849 --> 00:03:43.340 children more than the natural world. Just about 00:03:43.340 --> 00:03:46.180 any outdoor pursuit is the perfect opportunity 00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:50.199 to encourage curiosity and wonder. You don't 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:52.379 always have to visit a zoo or a park or to go 00:03:52.379 --> 00:03:55.520 on a bike ride. You just hang out in your backyard 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.719 or in the playground. All natural environments 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:01.759 provide wonderful opportunities for curiosity. 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:06.280 Just think about it. When kids are building sandcastles 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.129 on the beach or in a sandpit, They are learning 00:04:09.129 --> 00:04:11.610 about the properties of a material, and in this 00:04:11.610 --> 00:04:15.569 case sand, and how it gets to keep its shape 00:04:15.569 --> 00:04:18.509 when they remove the upturned bucket, or how 00:04:18.509 --> 00:04:21.050 sand or water is contained and takes the shape 00:04:21.050 --> 00:04:25.069 of a container but then falls through when there 00:04:25.069 --> 00:04:28.069 are holes. Not to mention children's fascination 00:04:28.069 --> 00:04:31.550 with ladybirds and snails. Just this week while 00:04:31.550 --> 00:04:33.810 on lunch duty I saw two little girls poking around 00:04:33.810 --> 00:04:35.990 some plants in a shady area of the playground. 00:04:36.750 --> 00:04:38.370 When I asked them what they were looking for 00:04:38.370 --> 00:04:41.930 they enthusiastically replied, snails! They knew 00:04:41.930 --> 00:04:45.069 where to find them. And then went on to tell 00:04:45.069 --> 00:04:48.769 me where snails live and did I know that snails 00:04:48.769 --> 00:04:52.199 ate paper? I so wished I was their class teacher 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:54.620 because we could have got so much fun exploring 00:04:54.620 --> 00:04:57.579 why snails eat paper and watching their mouths 00:04:57.579 --> 00:04:59.879 move by placing them in a transparent plastic 00:04:59.879 --> 00:05:02.000 lid and looking from underneath. I've done that 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:06.120 so many times. Learning about spiral shapes and 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:09.879 where else we could find spirals in nature. Discover 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:13.839 species of snails and even explore art by looking 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:16.319 at Matisse's paper collage called The Snail. 00:05:16.410 --> 00:05:19.689 and making snails out of clay and even making 00:05:19.689 --> 00:05:22.629 a snail habitat which we could use to investigate 00:05:22.629 --> 00:05:25.290 and explore and learn how to take care of living 00:05:25.290 --> 00:05:28.610 creatures. So the outdoors and everything it 00:05:28.610 --> 00:05:31.370 offers is a great way to encourage children's 00:05:31.370 --> 00:05:35.389 natural interest. And the third way I think we 00:05:35.389 --> 00:05:38.050 can encourage curiosity is through unstructured 00:05:38.050 --> 00:05:42.170 play. Unstructured play is equally important 00:05:42.170 --> 00:05:45.500 for nurturing a child's curiosity. The research, 00:05:45.500 --> 00:05:48.699 by the way, is clear. Allowing a child to just 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:52.180 play without purpose is invaluable for healthy 00:05:52.180 --> 00:05:55.959 social, emotional, cognitive and creative development. 00:05:57.420 --> 00:05:59.740 In Maggie Dean's book... saving our children 00:05:59.740 --> 00:06:03.600 from our chaotic world. She cites research that 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:06.279 shows that unstructured play, that's play where 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:09.139 you just leave the kids alone in the natural 00:06:09.139 --> 00:06:11.839 environment, is not only important for growth 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:15.040 and development but is vital for that integration 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:18.000 of neural pathways for all multiple intelligences. 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:21.480 Being fully immersed in play is highly significant 00:06:21.480 --> 00:06:25.500 for kids. It provides them that deep sense of 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:28.220 joy and well -being that is profoundly necessary 00:06:28.220 --> 00:06:30.779 for healthy social and emotional well -being. 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:34.420 So just leaving kids to play without our interference 00:06:34.420 --> 00:06:37.699 is crucial to them developing a host of skills. 00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:41.920 Things like independence, problem solving, creativity 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:45.860 and cooperation to name just a few. The fourth 00:06:45.860 --> 00:06:48.699 way I think we can keep kids curious is by creating 00:06:48.699 --> 00:06:52.160 an interesting environment. So of course, as 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:54.660 I've just mentioned, being outdoors in nature 00:06:54.660 --> 00:06:56.879 is really the perfect environment because nature 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.920 is full of interest. But how do we create stimulating 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:02.519 environments in our classrooms or in our homes 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:04.560 and gardens so that children can be curious? 00:07:05.899 --> 00:07:09.360 There is a move away from all those bright colors 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.259 and plastic toys to create more natural environments 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:14.680 with tactile objects and toys often made from 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:18.519 natural materials and arranged or displayed to 00:07:18.519 --> 00:07:22.360 provoke interest. and to bring the outdoors in 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:24.839 and to provide elements that kids would naturally 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:28.779 find in nature. Plants and sticks, yes, sticks, 00:07:28.980 --> 00:07:32.699 they're okay. Stones and pebbles, wooden blocks 00:07:32.699 --> 00:07:35.980 and shapes, interesting seed pods, pieces of 00:07:35.980 --> 00:07:39.939 cloth or fabric, string, clay, water, cardboard 00:07:39.939 --> 00:07:43.939 boxes, sand, and all manners and shapes of containers. 00:07:44.509 --> 00:07:47.350 All these things provide opportunity for open 00:07:47.350 --> 00:07:50.670 -ended play. They provide opportunities to be 00:07:50.670 --> 00:07:53.649 creative. A stick can be a fairy wand, a magic 00:07:53.649 --> 00:07:56.110 wand, a pencil. They can be used to build structures, 00:07:56.329 --> 00:07:58.990 make patterns or flagpoles, and even hobby horses. 00:07:59.769 --> 00:08:02.790 None of these are just one thing. For example, 00:08:02.910 --> 00:08:06.550 a toy car is just a car. But a stick can be anything, 00:08:07.129 --> 00:08:10.860 only limited by imagination. And apart from natural 00:08:10.860 --> 00:08:13.959 objects, having plants and animals to observe, 00:08:14.339 --> 00:08:18.019 be it a snail habitat or an aquarium or stick 00:08:18.019 --> 00:08:21.860 insects, this opens up a world of inquiry projects. 00:08:22.579 --> 00:08:25.779 We also need to be providing opportunities for 00:08:25.779 --> 00:08:28.899 children to express themselves creatively. by 00:08:28.899 --> 00:08:31.600 providing opportunities to create with paper 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:34.919 and paints and wool felt crayons of all types 00:08:34.919 --> 00:08:38.519 charcoal pastels and of course then what about 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:41.799 opportunities for pretend play dad's old shirts 00:08:42.029 --> 00:08:45.889 hats, old blouses, bags, all sorts from vintage 00:08:45.889 --> 00:08:48.470 or second -hand stores make excellent props for 00:08:48.470 --> 00:08:50.990 imaginative play. There's no need to go and buy 00:08:50.990 --> 00:08:54.409 Snow White's outfit or, I don't know, Spider 00:08:54.409 --> 00:08:56.629 -Man costume. There's nothing wrong with them, 00:08:56.669 --> 00:08:59.250 have them absolutely, but you don't have to go 00:08:59.250 --> 00:09:01.610 spend a fortune on ready -made costumes which 00:09:01.610 --> 00:09:04.169 then of course only limit a child to that character. 00:09:05.029 --> 00:09:07.289 So go and shop around some second -hand shops 00:09:07.289 --> 00:09:10.340 and see what you can find there. And of course, 00:09:10.940 --> 00:09:14.200 no interesting environment can be without books. 00:09:14.700 --> 00:09:17.500 Picture books, chapter books, lots of non -fiction 00:09:17.500 --> 00:09:20.940 books on a variety of subjects, atlases, children 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:23.740 love maps, all displayed so that they are in 00:09:23.740 --> 00:09:26.899 easy reach for kids to access. Then of course 00:09:26.899 --> 00:09:28.940 the question arises, well, how do we store and 00:09:28.940 --> 00:09:32.399 display all these objects? Well, we need to do 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:35.000 it in a way that is attractive and interesting 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:38.340 so that children are drawn to them. Displaying 00:09:38.340 --> 00:09:41.259 and storing these objects attractively in woven 00:09:41.259 --> 00:09:44.820 baskets or wooden boxes and bowls on uncluttered 00:09:44.820 --> 00:09:47.659 open shelves where children can access them easily 00:09:47.659 --> 00:09:52.000 and independently is the way to go. Our outdoor 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:55.240 areas need to be attractive too. We need to incorporate 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:58.059 open shelves and milk crates attached to a wall 00:09:58.059 --> 00:10:00.279 where old pots and pans and sticks and other 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:02.860 weatherproof items can be stored. Just browse 00:10:02.860 --> 00:10:05.379 Pinterest for tons of ideas on inspiring indoor 00:10:05.379 --> 00:10:07.940 and outdoor learning spaces and how to set them 00:10:07.940 --> 00:10:13.399 up. My fifth tip on how to keep kids curious 00:10:13.399 --> 00:10:17.399 is by asking open -ended questions and encouraging 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:21.460 children to ask questions too. Questioning is 00:10:21.460 --> 00:10:24.580 fundamental to having a curious mind. I saw this 00:10:24.580 --> 00:10:26.779 meme the other day that said, everyone saw the 00:10:26.779 --> 00:10:29.019 apple falling from the tree, but only Newton 00:10:29.019 --> 00:10:32.500 asked why. Makes you think, doesn't it? How little 00:10:32.500 --> 00:10:37.320 we ask why nowadays. Asking questions is actually 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:40.659 the first step to engage our learners, to really 00:10:40.659 --> 00:10:45.690 inspire our kids to be lifelong learners. that 00:10:45.690 --> 00:10:49.370 need to cultivate curiosity and a habit of questioning 00:10:49.370 --> 00:10:52.450 and then to encourage exploration to find the 00:10:52.450 --> 00:10:55.470 answers to those questions. Hey, don't be tempted 00:10:55.470 --> 00:10:57.889 to simply give children the answers to questions, 00:10:58.330 --> 00:11:02.450 rather just help them to find the answers. Inquiry 00:11:02.450 --> 00:11:05.289 invites a learner to take an active role in their 00:11:05.289 --> 00:11:07.970 learning, so that they're not just sitting there 00:11:07.970 --> 00:11:10.669 waiting for us to put stuff inside their heads, 00:11:11.129 --> 00:11:14.210 so they actually become involved in their learning. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:17.159 And when kids are encouraged to get involved 00:11:17.159 --> 00:11:19.840 in hands -on learning, when they're experimenting 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:22.019 or building or creating, it puts a whole new 00:11:22.019 --> 00:11:23.980 spin on their learning. And learning becomes 00:11:23.980 --> 00:11:26.879 fun. And when we're involved in that inquiry 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:29.860 process, we educators, and remember, parents 00:11:29.860 --> 00:11:34.179 are educators, are no longer talking at children, 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:38.440 but rather facilitating their learning. It requires 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:41.759 a mind shift on our part. and we'll be delving 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:44.299 into this world of inquiry in future episodes. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:49.360 Okay, so those were my five ways to keep children 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:51.460 curious. Thanks for listening, folks. I hope 00:11:51.460 --> 00:11:54.220 you enjoyed this episode, and if you did, hey, 00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:56.279 make sure to click that subscribe button wherever 00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:58.860 you're listening. And if anything I've said today 00:11:58.860 --> 00:12:01.700 resonates with you, or you think my content is 00:12:01.700 --> 00:12:04.139 awesome, then please leave a review, which will 00:12:04.139 --> 00:12:06.059 really help me grow the show and keep going. 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:08.860 Thanks so much, and be sure to visit me at bloomingcurious 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:11.860 .com and listen out for the next episode next 00:12:11.860 --> 00:12:14.809 Tuesday. And remember... Curiosity isn't just 00:12:14.809 --> 00:12:18.210 a trait, it's a superpower. So until next time, 00:12:18.789 --> 00:12:20.529 stay blooming curious.