Cultivating Wonder in Our Homeschools
Over 2,300 years ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that a person’s education about the world began with a sense of wonder. Wonder is a kind of surprise mingled with curiosity, which gives birth to a desire to learn. It is wonder at the beauty and complexity of the world that compels people to ask questions and seek answers. All advancement in human knowledge derives from this primal sense of wonder. Education is, therefore, born of the wonderment we experience at the mystery of creation. It is, perhaps, the single greatest motivating factor in acquiring knowledge.
It is, therefore, tremendously important to help our children cultivate a sense of wonder. A child full of wonder is a determined self-learner. He or she is driven by the intrinsic motivation that comes when learning is a delight. They want to learn astronomy because they are curious to understand the workings of the cosmos. Children want to study history because they are curious to understand how the Romans built their marvelous works of architecture. They want to study robotics because of the personal satisfaction of figuring out how to tackle the engineering difficulties that come with getting a robot to perform tasks.
Thus, it behooves us to step back and consider whether we are helping or hindering our children in developing their sense of wonder. In this article, we will discuss ways we may be helping or hindering of child’s sense of wonder.
Behaviors that Diminish a Child’s Sense of Wonder
First, let us consider behaviors that may inadvertently stifle a child’s ability to develop a sense of wonder.
Not Having Enough Opportunity to Play Outside
Wonder about creation necessitates regular and frequent engagement with creation. A child not given sufficient opportunity to play outside and engage with nature will be less likely to develop curiosity about the world. This is simply because they are not encountering enough of it.
Excessive Screen Time
Screen usage takes away time that children could spend doing other activities. Additionally, excessive screen time has been linked to negative outcomes like depression, obesity, and a decreased ability to experience wonder. It can also hinder a child’s ability to pursue their interests with energy and attentiveness.
Adults Constantly Directing the Child’s Free Time
Many parents over-manage their children’s free time by forcing everything to have an educational angle. In their desire to give their children the best education possible, parents can erode a child’s free time to the point where everything the child does must have an educational rationale. While well-intentioned, this behavior is misguided. Indeed, it fails to respect that wonder often comes gratuitously when we are not looking for it. Overregulation of free time can rob children of the ability to experience wonder as something spontaneous. Additionally, it risks commodifying their interests into just more stuff they must “manage.”
Too Many “Manufactured” Toys
A manufactured toy could be defined as a toy manufactured to do one thing and one thing only—a remote-controlled car whose only function is to drive, for example. Manufactured toys aren’t bad, but they should be balanced with access to more “open-ended” toys that require a child to use his or her imagination.
Hectic Lifestyle Packed with Structured Activities
If you are always packing your child’s life with lessons, camps, retreats, and enrichment opportunities, consider backing off and leaving more time for your child to simply…be bored. Always corralling your child into some structured activity can make them feel passive about their education and erode their sense of independence and ability to experience wonder.
Instant Gratification
As parents know, children can be whiny and demanding. However, always gratifying their desires immediately can do more harm than good in the long run. It diminishes their willpower and discipline, making it increasingly unlikely that they will exercise the independence necessary to nurture wonder.
Behaviors That Nurture a Child’s Sense of Wonder
Fortunately, there are also behaviors we can adopt to encourage a child’s sense of wonder. These include:
Time to Explore Nature Hands-On
First and foremost, allow your child ample opportunities to get out into nature and explore the world hands-on. Let them explore, get dirty, and dig into the mysteries of the natural world so they can cultivate a sense of wonder about God’s wonderful creation.
Unstructured Play With No Agenda
Children need time for unstructured play so they can have the freedom to make their own choices and learn more about their interests, preferences, and strengths. This can help promote a sense of autonomy and independence in what they choose to focus attention on.
Act as a “Co-Discoverer” With Your Child
Instead of dictating your child’s schedule as an administrator, model the wonder you want to cultivate by acting as a “co-discoverer” with your child. Show them how to interact with things in an inquisitive way.
Open-Ended Toys
Ensure your children have access to “open-ended” toys that can be used in a multitude of ways, requiring creativity and imagination. For younger children, this could be things like blocks and dress-up clothes. These sorts of toys need not always be simple. For older tech-savvy children, something like a 3D printer is fantastic, as there are an infinite variety of creative projects.
Boredom
Finally, maintain a leisurely pace that allows your children time to be bored. Boredom is not valuable in itself. However, the skills that children develop to cope with it. Boredom fosters creativity, imagination, and self-esteem. A child who is bored is much likelier to cultivate passions. Boredom is the gateway to finding wonder in the ordinary.
Conclusion
To give credit where credit is due, the idea for this post was inspired by Rain or Shine Momma, a Swedish blogger dedicated to promoting children’s exposure to nature as a means of cultivating creativity and passion.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Join other homeschooling parents at the Homeschool Connections Community or Facebook group to continue the discussion!
