What really matters- Exchanges that feed natural curiosity- One thing I have noticed about babies generally is that they seem to be wired with this intense curiosity. Almost every baby just can’t help herself from getting their hands on things and checking it out. At the opposite side, I have also seen 5 year olds that seem to be perpetually bored and just want to veg out in front of the TV or be entertained by someone or something.

What happens to that innate and intense curiosity about the world and how can we as parents feed that fire. This is one of the most critical dispositions that forms the foundation for a learning career and life. In one airplane trip in one brief little segment of time, Whit revealed to me this amazing intensity (see videos .

How to put it into practice- Feed Curiosity by avoiding “No”, layering the exploration, and enthusiastic praise.

1. -Say no as little as possible. baby proof your home and let your baby have at it
   

2. -Peel back the layers with them. As they figure out one property of an object subtly invite them to notice the next. Don’t worry if they don’t take you up on the invite. Try to tune into what you think they are interested in. Keep trying.
   

3. -Praise descriptively- as whit would discover something, I would say with excitement: “wow, you figured out that truck rolls. Yes, truck ROLLs. And you can push it-- vroomm...” Try to avoid “good girl”; the more you describe the specifics, and emphasize results, the more she learns. And rewarding her curiosity demonstrates how much you value it.
   

(read more about I3 Dev Focus: Exchanges)