Most children, from a young age, actively explore their environment . Through this, they practice their senses and their abilities, whether to communicate, to move … Which leads them to learn and develop their mind.
Exploration is something quite innate, although there are children more explorers than others. As parents we can accompany the little ones in their process , adapting to their needs, preferences and concerns, while solving their doubts and stimulating their imagination.
How do we do it? What is the ability to explore actually and why is it good for children to explore? Find out!
What is the exploration capacity?
Exploring implies ” traveling an unknown or little-known place to know or study it, or to discover what is in it .” Boy Scouts are usually curious, imaginative children, wanting to try new things and to know.
The ability to explore can be related to a psychological theory, the so-called Big Five Theory of personality , which proposes that people’s personality can be divided into 5 independent traits.
One of them is openness to experience, a concept closely related to the ability to explore . This personality trait includes six qualities or dimensions:
- Active imagination (fantasy).
- Aesthetic sensitivity.
- Attention to one’s own feelings .
- The preference for variety.
- Intellectual curiosity.
According to current research, these qualities are interrelated with each other. People, and children in particular, can have this trait of openness to experience more or less marked.
Those who have it marked tend to go out of their comfort zone more often, and have no problem trying new ways of doing things , investigating, exploring, discovering, experimenting, exposing themselves to new situations, venturing out …
In short, we are talking about boy scouts. And although openness to experience is a personality trait, the truth is that the ability to explore can also be enhanced. But, how can we do it with the little ones and why does it benefit them?
How to promote exploration in children?
As parents, we find different ways to enhance exploration in children. Get to know seven of them!
Offer, do not impose
One way to promote exploration in children is to offer options, alternatives, activities, plans, ideas … but without imposing them.
It can benefit them a lot if we share our passions with them, yes, always keeping in mind that they have their own nature, their own tastes and interests.
Thus, do not restrict the possibilities of your children to your preferences ; it is more about accompanying, guiding and guiding, and not so much about imposing.
Stimulates free exploration
The truth is that the experience of discovery has a central element: surprise, that emotion that arises when we dare to challenge the limits of the known and the expected.
The child, as he grows up, is surprised , learns and realizes that his preferences and tastes are different from those of his parents. It is the moment in which you develop your autonomy, which will allow you to make your own decisions.
To accompany him in this process, stimulate his exploration; do not limit him, because that can lead to inhibition or self-doubt.
Recognize your ability to explore
Beyond facilitating moments of exploration, which is also important, as parents, recognizing the small moments in which our children have a desire to explore can help us. Identify that desire to know and take advantage of them.
Of course, let’s not fall into the temptation of wanting to control; the greatest richness of this experience is that they experience things for themselves.
Play with them
The game is an ideal tool to enhance exploration . It is a way of approaching the tastes and preferences of children, without forgetting that today there is a large number of types of games, for all ages, tastes and conditions. Take advantage of it and play with them!
If he asks you, answer with another question
Another original and dynamic way to promote exploration in children is the following: if he asks you, answer with another question. Logically, you can’t always do that (and it also depends on the type of question), but it is also “funny”.
Do it at certain times to surprise him and, in addition, continue to feed his curiosity. In a way, we are challenging him to answer himself, respond to something related, or keep digging into the question.
Propose different plans
There are children who have more initiative than others, and it is normal. Sometimes, as parents, we must give that “push” to the initiative of our children and be the ones who also propose plans.
A plan to encourage exploration in children? For example, an excursion to nature or the countryside ; once there, we suggest that you encourage your children to collect leaves and stones, to feel the bark on the trees and to disconnect.
Make crafts
Crafts, painting, drawing … are also very suitable tools if you want to promote exploration in your children.
You can start with a blank page ; leave colors on the side and different materials so that he himself can discover what he likes and what he wants to paint with.
More ideas: make bookmarks, magnets, use newspapers and magazines (cut out what you like best and make a collage together), etc.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun”.
-Anonymous-
Why does exploring benefit them?
In general, children explore from a very young age, be it objects, places, their own body, other children, adults …
And as we have seen, we can enhance this exploration capacity without excessively invading their space or wanting to control. But how does exploration benefit children?
Why is it good for your development? Some of its benefits are:
- Stimulate your imagination.
- Stimulate their curiosity .
- It helps them learn.
- It helps them develop concepts.
- It enhances your ability to communicate.
- It allows them to know themselves and develop self-concept.
- It stimulates their intelligence and their ability to adapt.
Photos | Cover (pexels), Image 1 (pexels), Image 2 (pexels)
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