Is your child always asking ‘why’ questions? These questions probably range from simple, cheeky inquiries, like ‘why must I eat my vegetables?’, to questions that interrogate the physical laws governing our universe, like ‘why do things fall down and not up?’ or ‘why is the sky blue?’ Curious children often bombard their unsuspecting parents with mind-boggling questions. Of course, it can be tempting to brush these questions aside after a tiring day of work, but your child’s inquiries are actually very important.
Firstly, when children begin to ask ‘why’ questions, this shows that they have reached a key stage in their cognitive development. During this time, children are becoming more aware of the world around them, and less focused on their immediate needs and attachment relationships. Since this is a critical milestone, it is important for parents to encourage their child’s growth as an independent learner.
Secondly, children are demonstrating an early basis for scientific thinking when they ask ‘why’ questions. Childhood is a period of great discovery, as children gradually cultivate an informal knowledge base by interacting with their surroundings. For instance, your child may learn about the weather patterns by playing outside on a daily basis. Of course, this process of trial-and-error exploration can be slow and clumsy. As children move past infancy, asking ‘why’ questions becomes a more efficient way to understand how things function. In fact, these ‘why’ questions represent an extension of your child’s natural tendency to test hypotheses, which involves applying one’s knowledge to generate predictions about and solutions to novel problems.
Importantly, it’s never too early to turn your little scientist into a real researcher. With careful, guided instruction, parents and educators can transform children’s inclination for exploration into structured scientific inquiry. In particular, parents can use ‘why’ questions as an opportunity to teach their child more about the world. This way, children discover new facts to fuel their curiosity and sustain their interest in learning.
At Schooling Online, we want to guide parents and children through this journey of scientific discovery. Our Science for Kids series includes a collection of educational stories that teach children about science, from biology to physics. This narrative style of teaching engages children, motivating them to become independent learners. The clear explanations, captivating narration and exciting illustrations introduce children to a range of scientific concepts that are easy to grasp. At the same time, the relatable characters model valuable skills by thinking critically and solving problems. Overall, this series addresses New South Wales and Australian syllabus requirements, ranging from kindergarten to Year 6.
We apologise ahead of time if our videos provoke more ‘why questions’ from your children, but remember that this is a good thing! As the famous scientist, Albert Einstein, once proclaimed:
“The important thing is to never stop questioning.”
For the price of your daily cup of coffee, ignite the spark in your little scientists! Join Schooling Online today!