Nurturing Bright Futures – Working Together to Give Southend's Children the Best Start in Life

I am curious

The importance of curiosity

“Children have a natural urge to do the same thing again and again, whether it is throwing things, hiding things all over the house in bags, or emptying all the toys out of the toy box. This repetitive behaviour helps children to develop and deepen their understanding of concepts.”

(Stella Louis, 2019)

Curiosity drives learning. It inspires children to explore, ask questions and discover new things. When we nurture curiosity, we encourage creativity, problem-solving and confidence. Open-ended play and hands-on experiences allow children to learn in their own way, following what excites them. Curiosity builds skills for life and helps children develop a love for learning that lasts.

Celebrating your unique child

Children are naturally curious and curiosity looks different in every child. One might love books; another might prefer building or climbing. What sparks one child’s interest may not appeal to another and that’s okay. Learning happens everywhere: during play, conversations and even quiet moments. What matters is giving your child time, space and encouragement to explore the world in their own way. Tune into them. What makes them tick? What are their fascinations? There’s no need to rush- your child is learning through every experience, every interaction, every moment big and small

Curiousity: Growing and learning together - a developmental guide

age range, what your baby might be doing, how you can support them
Age range	What your baby might be doing	How you can support them
During pregnancy	Baby’s brain begins forming connections for learning Responds to sound, light and movement from the outside world	Talking, singing and reading to your baby whilst they are in the womb will spark early curiosity by exposing your baby to sound, rhythm and language, helping build memory and attention, the foundations of learning
Birth to 3 months	Looks around and follows moving objects Begins to show interest in faces and voices	Make eye contact and smile often Use toys with bold patterns and black and white images Sing your favourite songs with actions to your baby Play simple games such as ‘peek-a-boo’
3 to 6 months	Reaches for toys and mouths them Watches people and objects closely	Provide safe toys or real-life objects (pieces of fabric, crinkly paper or nail brush) with different textures* Let them explore objects during play Copy the sounds and actions that your baby makes, for example if your baby claps, you mirror this by clapping back *For health and safety purposes, ensure to supervise your child whilst playing
6 to 12 moonths	Drops, shakes and bangs objects to see what happens Crawls to explore new spaces	Offer cause-and-effect toys (e.g. rattles) or real-life objects (wooden spoon and pot) Give freedom to move around safely For health and safety purposes, ensure to supervise your child whilst playing
12 to 18 months	Explores surroundings with curiosity Begins pretending play with objects (e.g. feeding a doll	Join in their play and name what they’re doing Encourage safe outdoor exploration Share and read books together dail
18 to 24 months	Shows interest in how things work Asks questions through actions or words	Answer their questions simply Provide open-ended toys like blocks or containers Follow their lead and support their interests
2 to 3 years	Asks ‘what’s that?’ as they explore new things Likes repeating activities to learn how they work	Give your child time to explore at their pace Answer questions and describe what’s happening as they play
3 to 4 years	Enjoys pretend play and simple problem-solving Explores more independently but checks in with adults	Offer open-ended role play with everyday items Talk through their play and discoveries
4 to 5 years	Plans and builds with purpose (e.g. towers, stories). Enjoys exploring new places and asking deeper questions	Start collecting reusables to support your child’s creative thinking, empty yogurt pots, cardboard boxes, anything can become something! Visit new places together and talk about them