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Initiative and Curiosity - Approaches to Learning: Ages 3-5

Source: State: Nebraska Department of Education
Topics: Early Years (Birth-5), Growing Your Child's Creativity, Social and Emotional (Ages 3-5)

Widely Held Expectations

  • Child uses initiative, curiosity and persistence to learn about the world
    • Carries out complex and varied sequences of activities independently
    • Explores ways to use new materials
  • Child engages in imaginative play
  • Child increasingly uses communication to ask questions and seek answers

Learning in Action: Examples

The Child

  • Asks adults to read stories, signs, or notes
  • Participates with different art materials, dramatic play, and puzzles/toys/blocks
  • Shows a willingness to listen to a new story or song
  • Notices new displays and discusses them with the adult
  • Asks questions about new materials in science area
  • Tries alternative methods to solve a problem and is highly involved and persistent

The Adult

  • Experiences the outside world with children
  • Asks open-ended questions to engage children’s imagination (require more than a one-word answer)
  • Responds to children’s curiosity and questions with enthusiasm and encouragement
  • Asks questions and helps children find answers through active, hands-on exploration
  • Sets up activities and materials for exploration

The Environment Includes

  • A safe, natural space for children to visit and explore
  • Opportunities for sand and water play, clay, paints, markers, books and blocks

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