The key to helping your kids learn and grow is through encouraging their ideas and thoughts. This doesn't come naturally to everyone, and all parents could benefit from some tips. Students who have familial support tend to be inquisitive and curious at home and in class, furthering their learning on their own terms. Here are some ways to nurture your children's ideas:
Answer and ask questions
Because kids are young, they ask a ton of questions. It can be easy to brush these inquiries off after the umpteenth nonsensical query of the day. But to really help your kids grow, you must answer these questions to the best of your ability and ask your own! Counter your kids' investigations with thoughtful questions. For example, if you're at the grocery store your kids may ask, "Where does this cantaloupe come from?" You can tell them to take a look at the label, where the country or state of origin is noted. Then, offer a question like, "Does a cantaloupe grow on a tree, a bush or a vine?" By posing new queries, you encourage your children to learn. Questioning also promotes problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, two abilities that are imperative for success on Common Core State Standard testing.
Foster imagination
Kids with vivid imaginations tend to have a lot of ideas. But not every child is born with the need to draw monsters and critters of his or her own creation. How can parents help their children become more imaginative? Offer up your own creativity as a tool! You can make crafts, build forts and man a pretend pirate ship to help kickstart your kids' inventive minds. Pretty soon, your children will make up stories and characters all their own. It may seem silly, but imaginative play teaches important skills like innovation, goal setting and determination.
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