Swirling his stick in the muddy puddle, Lin watches the ripples move across the surface, first one way, then the other. He holds the stick up and watches as the drips fall onto the surface of the water. He dips his stick to see how deep it is and then stirs up the mud to create a thick, muddy potion.
A fleeting moment, potentially filled with so many questions, possibilities, and opportunities for learning.
How can we use play such as this to develop children's curiosity?
1. Noticing Curiosity
When I observed Lin’s play carefully, I could see that he was curious. I also began to learn more about how he was learning.
Lin likes to play and explore outdoors. He controls the stick showing good hand-eye coordination; he can focus his attention; he is following his own line of inquiry; and he is beginning to use some new vocabulary alongside his actions, such as “Look, water … stick … go round!”
Looking out for what prompts the children’s curiosity is a useful way to connect with them during the first weeks of term. It is a way of Sharing Attention with them: the first strategy of the evidence- informed ShREC approach.
I find these three steps useful:
Look: What captures the child’s attention?
Listen: What are they saying or communicating through their play?
Notice: How are they exploring their ideas?
It can be tricky to judge the right moment to join a child who is engrossed in their play. Watching from a distance can be a good place to start. You can then take your cue from them – if they seem comfortable with that then move a little closer and respond carefully and with interest to their play.
2. Responding with care
A gesture or simple comment describing what the child is doing, is a good way to respond to what you see. This is the second strategy of ShREC.
In response to Lin’s play, I commented, “Round and round” and mirrored his swirling action. It became a valuable moment for shared attention and communication.
One thing to be cautious about is asking questions. Comments can be a better way to prompt the child’s engagement with the activity and extended their communication.
One Teaching Assistant taking part in the Maths through Picture Books Programme (MTPB)*with the East London Research School noticed how children became more engaged when she changed her approach; commenting instead of asking questions.
“I’m taking more time to listen, to respond to what children say, rather than asking too many questions. I love that the children add something different to what I was thinking. Our conversations go much deeper and I’m getting to know the children better.”
The theme of Questions versus Comments could be a useful team discussion at the start of a new term. Who asks the most questions – the children or the adults? What is the value of making a comment instead?
The Evidence Store uses this video clip, ‘He can stay in our room’, to show how the educator skilfully opens further investigation when a group of three-year-olds are expressing their curiosity.
3. Deepen Learning through Conversation
When children ask questions, we can feel as though we should provide the answers. Instead of this, it could be a valuable moment to:
- Observe carefully: find out what captured the child’s attention; notice where they are; what they are doing; how they are playing and exploring.
- Respond with genuine curiosity: get down to their level; move alongside them; offer a gesture or action that lets them know you are interested and want to know more.
- Deepen their learning: make a comment, introduce relevant vocabulary or offer something that will help them to continue their line of investigation e.g. a book, a new container, a different shaped block.
Making discoveries together encourages sustained, high-quality conversations. You can do this by thinking out loud, “I wonder what might happen if …?”
Also, encourage other children to contribute their ideas, “I don’t know what will happen, let’s try and find out together”.
Overall reflection and message:
Lin seemed to be interested in the movement of the water in his puddle. Using a stick to swirl the water round and round, Lin found that he could dig out a channel and change its flow. He used containers to move the water.
It wasn’t long before other children got involved, asking, “Why?” and “What if?”
What might have been a fleeting moment of one child’s curiosity became a focus for sustained learning and conversation for a group - it continued all morning.
Curiosity can begin with a muddy puddle, a stick and an adult who notices, listens, and wonders alongside the child.
Questions for reflection:
- During a new child's first few weeks of term, what have you noticed them becoming curious about?
- Can you think of a few of your comments that extended a child's thinking?
Want to know more?
Boudreau, E. (2020) A Curious Mind: How educators and parents can encourage and guide children’s natural curiosity in the classroom and at home. Harvard School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/20/11/curious-mind
Bjerknes, A. L., Wilhelmsen, T., & Foyn-Bruun, E. (2024). A Systematic Review of Curiosity and Wonder in Natural Science and Early Childhood Education Research. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 38(1), 50–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2023.2192249
Find out more about how you can take part in the MTPB Programme here