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Do Curious Children Become Happier Adults? Why OWIS’ Preschools Think Curiosity Is The Key to Success

OWIS preschool
LearnPost Category - LearnLearn - Post Category - SchoolsSchoolsFamily LifePost Category - Family LifeFamily Life

Here’s why nurturing curiosity in children is so important, what a good preschool will do to focus on this and how you can support your child’s curiosity at home

Children are naturally curious. As babies, they want to put objects in their mouth, hold things in their tiny hands, and explore the tastes and touch sensations in our world. This is their mechanism for learning. As they get older, children satisfy their curiosity by asking questions, interacting with others and exploring the world outside their house.

This important trait – curiosity – is one of the most essential features that young children possess. Curiosity is what enables children to learn and grow as individuals. Preschools must learn to foster children’s curiosity to help them build their future as well as their academic abilities.

At One World International School (OWIS) and One World Preschool, Mountbatten, teachers place a high value on curiosity because they know that this allows young children to learn and grow as individuals. Their innate curiosity will help them build their line of thinking for future learning in higher grades.

Why Curiosity is an Important Skill to Nurture in Children

Curiosity encourages children to explore the unfamiliar and resolve problems and unexpected events. The more freedom they have to think about, “What would happen if I do this?”, the more it encourages their risk-taking and confidence.

Furthermore, they also build their creativity and self-expression through their eagerness to try new things. Children in kindergarten often have active imaginations, and it’s fun for them to be able to think and explore ideas freely.

Curious children turn into curious adults. And curious adults tend to report higher satisfaction with their lives, and they score better for well-being. This may be because their curiosity encourages them to keep on learning.

OWIS
OWIS preschool students enjoy trying new things in class

How OWIS Nurtures Curiosity at Preschool

Holistic Curriculum. OWIS nurtures curiosity through a holistic curriculum that includes music, art and movement. For example, recently, OWIS’s preschool students completed a unit called “Knowing who we are helps us learn and grow”. During this unit, children were asked questions that encouraged creative thought. The questions varied but included: “What is the meaning of your name?”, “What do you like best about yourself?”, “What are your fears?” This kind of self-reflection is encouraged because children learn more about themselves and others and learn to be curious about their internal and external experiences at the same time.

Units of Inquiry. The staff at OWIS uses teaching tools such as transdisciplinary units of inquiry, provocations, open-ended questions and hands-on activities to build excitement. Recent units that helped children develop their natural sense of inquiry included “What families mean to us”, “Our homes”, “Understanding the animal kingdom”, and “Community helpers.”

Free and Guided Play: Children at OWIS preschools engage in free and guided play throughout the day. Play-based learning enables children to explore their environment, which again sparks that natural sense of curiosity. Playing is learning!

Encouraging Your Child’s Natural Learning Style: People have multiple types of intelligence. There are children who are musical, some enjoy learning through movement and so on. OWIS educators observe your child’s style to help them learn. Doing this helps them stay engaged and eager to find out more about the subject while in school.

Supportive Learning Environment: OWIS provides children with a supportive learning environment. They hire caring teachers and support students with an open-minded environment, where students can be free to be themselves and learn in ways that make them feel safe. Their philosophy is kindness-driven, with an emphasis on multiculturalism so that children can become naturally curious about the world. No question is ever wrong at these preschools!

5 Ways You Can Foster Curiosity in Your Children At Home

As a parent, you can foster your child’s curiosity in your home. Some suggestions that will help:

  1. Encourage time for independent play
  2. Teach your child not to be afraid of mistakes
  3. Encourage your child to make interesting observations
  4. Help your child develop an exciting hobby
  5. Creating a safe learning environment in your home can help your child develop that natural curiosity that will help them become lifelong learners and succeed in their future careers.
OWIS
OWIS teachers foster curiosity and inculcate the love for learning in young children

OWIS nurtures natural curiosity in early years education through a curriculum balanced with music, language, art and movement. The preschool curricula are inquiry- and play-based, which are interesting for young learners. The school also employs experienced, kind teachers who want to see your child succeed.

To find out more about how OWIS preschools in Singapore can help your child, get in touch or book a virtual tour.

One World International School (Nanyang Campus): 21 Jurong West Street 81, Singapore 649075, Tel: (+65) 6914 6700
One World Preschool, Mountbatten: Block G, 231 Mountbatten Road, Singapore 397999, Tel: (+65) 6914 7350
www.owis.org

Brought to you in partnership with OWIS

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