If you have young children, you know exactly what it feels like when they're
constantly asking why about everything?
Why do leaves fall?
Why do they turn brown?
Why don't they fall up?
And eventually you run out of answers and you just say,
well, because that's how it is.
But what if I told you that those why questions aren't interruptions?
They are learning moments.
Welcome to today's episode.
I'm Edwina, and if you are a homeschooling parent or just someone who wants to
create more meaningful learning at home than this episode is for you?
Here's the thing about curiosity that most of us miss.
We think we need elaborate activities, expensive materials, or structured
curricular to nurture curiosity.
But curiosity thrives in the ordinary moments it lives in.
The questions our children naturally ask when we are walking to the mailbox
or when we are preparing dinner.
Or when we're simply reading a picture book together, let me give you three
practical ways to transform your home into a curiosity rich environment.
First become a professional question asker.
When your child notices something, anything, resist
the urge to immediately answer.
Instead ask, what do you think or what do you notice when your child points out?
For example, that, uh, your dog always sniffs at the same spot every
time you're on your morning walk.
Instead of explaining all about scent marking, rather ask,
why do you think he does that?
Your child is likely to come up with some fascinating theories, and more
than likely, you'll spend the next week observing and discussing animal behavior.
Secondly, embrace the power of wandering out loud model curiosity
by sharing your own questions.
I wonder why some clouds are fluffy and others are wispy, or I wonder
what would happen if I planted these seeds in the shady spot.
You are not just thinking out loud, you are showing your children
that adults are learners too.
Third, follow their fascinations, not your agenda.
If your child becomes captivated by how water moves down the drain.
That's your science lesson.
If they're intrigued by how some words sound similar,
that's your language lesson.
The most powerful learning happens when we build on what naturally
captivates our children's attention.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking.
Ah, this sounds great in theory, Edwina, but how do I actually
do this without feeling forced or without it being overwhelming or
without me sounding like a teacher.
Well, that's exactly why I created something called the Curiosity Bundle.
It's completely free, and here's what you get.
You get an e guide called How to Nurture Curiosity Naturally, that
walks you through exactly how to recognize and respond to those
curiosity moments in your everyday life.
I use a simple example of going on a walk.
Because that's something that everybody does.
There's no complicated setup necessary, no special materials,
just practical strategies that you can use starting right now today.
But here's the part that I'm most excited about.
I've also included a complete lesson plan.
It's like an all the mini idea plan that goes with a picture book,
I Went Walking by Sue Williams.
Now you might think, oh, this is just a simple picture book
about a child taking a walk.
Exactly right.
That's the beauty of it.
It's just simple.
This lesson plan shows you how something as ordinary as going on a
walk, whether it's around the block, whether it's in your backyard, through
your neighborhood to the park, or even a trip to the zoo or the farm yard,
becomes a rich learning experience.
Whenever you go anywhere,
you're exploring observation skills, animal sounds, patterns,
colors, movement, and so much more.
Your children won't even realize they're learning because
they'll be too busy discovering.
The e guide and the lesson plan work together to show you just how easy
it is to create a curiosity inspired.
Learning moment from the most ordinary moments.
There's no pressure, there's no performance.
Just real learning that naturally happens.
To get your free curiosity bundle, just head to go dot blooming curious.com, spark
curiosity, and download it there today.
I'll leave a link for you in the show notes.
Remember, you don't need to be a trained educator,
to nurture curiosity at home, you just need to pay attention
to what your children are already wondering about and given the
space to explore those questions.
And the next time your child asks why for the fifth of the hundredth time,
take a deep breath and remember, you're not dealing with an interruption.
You are witnessing the very foundation of lifelong learning.
Thanks for listening today.
I'll see you next week.
Same time, same place.
And until then, stay blooming and curious.