10 Ways for Families to Foster Curiosity
By Kyle Kick
BStrong Together Executive Director
Inspire Wonder. Encourage Questions. Grow Together.
Curiosity helps families learn, connect and understand the world. When children grow up in a home that values exploration and questions, they become lifelong learners who approach life with confidence and empathy. Here are 10 ways that families can encourage curiosity to learn and grow:
1. Ask “I wonder” questions.
Model curiosity by wondering out loud: “I wonder how that works?” or “Why do you think that happens?”
2. Explore new experiences together.
Visit parks, museums and community festivals. New places, sights and sounds spark new questions and opportunities for learning.
3. Read widely and often about different topics together.
Reading opens the mind and imagination. Read a mixture of stories, science, history and culture. Choose books about different places, people and ideas. Reading expands imagination and perspective.
4. Encourage problem solving.
Instead of rushing to answers, ask, “What could we try?” or “How might we figure that out?”
5. Celebrate questions.
Show excitement and praise curiosity when your child asks something interesting. “That’s a great question!” shows that asking matters as much as knowing. Curiosity itself is worth celebrating!
6. Try something new as a family.
Cook a new recipe from another country, learn a dance, or start a small project together. Learning a new skill side-by-side, building something together and shared curiosity builds connection.
7. Limit passive screen-time.
Encourage interactive technology — educational games, coding, or creative design — over endless scrolling or watching.
8. Connect curiosity to real life.
Link everyday things to bigger ideas – “How does electricity get to our house?” or “Why do plants grow toward the sun?”
9. Show curiosity about people.
Ask about others’ experiences, cultures, traditions or stories. Curiosity about people fosters empathy and inclusion.
10. Keep the spirit of play.
Play fuels imagination and discovery. Laugh, explore and let kids experiment freely.
When families nurture curiosity, they raise confident, creative and open-minded lifelong learners who see the world with wonder — and who keep exploring and asking “why” their whole lives.
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