What kids' unique interests reveal about their curiosity

Catching bugs and making little houses for them, obsessions with the door stopper and a fascination with elevators and how their buttons work are some of the most interesting curiosities today’s youngest children have, according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 parents of children ages 0-6, looked at some of their most unique interests and revealed that some find that their child is most fascinated by the natural world.

This includes things like rainwater, worms, the weather and specifically “extinct fish,” while other children’s interests are more nuanced, such as knights and drums.

Interests aside, parents find that their child’s curious nature comes through in other ways. On average, parents navigate 46 questions per day, though they find themselves without an answer 35% of the time.

That’s no surprise considering some of the questions they field. Results uncovered some of the strangest ones, including: “If time had a smell, what would it smell like?”, “How long can a hippo run faster than an elephant?” and even “Where do dreams go when we wake up?”

Most often, parents’ initial reaction to these questions surrounds where they came up with them (52%), while others seek out the answer with their child (42%) or find some information on their own (27%).

This may be because more than nine in 10 parents polled (91%) say that it’s important to encourage their child’s natural curiosity and interests.

Still, parents find themselves saying “be careful” an average of 27 times per day and “don’t touch that” an additional 25 times.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Lightbridge Academy (https://lightbridgeacademy.com), the survey explored how parents are trying to walk the line between keeping their child safe while still fostering their innate curiosity and resilience.

Almost every parent (97%) underscores the importance of their child understanding why they told them to “be careful.” More than half (55%) have that conversation immediately following the incident, while another 30% follow up within a few minutes.

Yet almost two in five parents polled (38%) admit they frequently lie awake at night, worrying about how they handled things and whether their child understands their explanation.

For most parents, that “why” aligns most closely with trying to help their child build safe habits (57%).

For other parents, telling their child to “be careful” is just a gut or reflex reaction (45%) more than it is because of actual danger (34%).

“Today’s parents are juggling a lot,” said Gigi Schweikert, CEO of Lightbridge Academy. “It’s no secret that they worry about their child’s safety, 75% of parents say they’re concerned on any given day, yet these well-meaning instincts may unintentionally hinder the curiosity and resilience they’re hoping to instill in their children.”

Nearly all parents polled (97%) would describe their child as curious and 71% of those would go so far as to say their child is “very curious.” Another 77% would even believe that their child is more curious than they were at that age.

When they were growing up, parents polled most often heard the phrase “because I said so” (61%).

Only about half (49%) admit they had a positive reaction when they heard this response.

But today, approaches are changing. Only 22% often say “because I said so,” and “be careful” (71%) is most common.

This shift is for the better, as three-quarter of parents polled report positive reactions from their child.

“Even before they’ve stepped into a classroom, parents can see early sparks of curiosity and creativity in their children — passions that can one day grow into future careers,” said Schweikert. “In fact, 92% of parents say it’s important for their child to develop STEAM skills, which can be nurtured in countless ways. By encouraging exploration and hands-on learning, parents are helping raise the next generation of resilient thinkers, innovators and scientists.”