Why Does Curiosity Matter?

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Children are inherently curious, which makes science activities so popular. It is our job as youth workers to design science activities which build on young people's curiosity. Below is a blog by the staff at CuriOdyssey. This can be read in full at their original publication here.

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”— Albert Einstein

Curiosity is the desire to learn, to understand new things and to know how they work. “We can teach a new generation to observe patterns in our world and in science, technology, engineering and math by taking advantage of their natural tendency to be curious, thereby enhancing the likelihood of new discoveries and inventions,” says CuriOdyssey Executive Director Rachel Meyer. “We need people who are curious and who feel free to tinker and explore without fear of failure. When curious people fail, they analyze their failure to understand it so they can do better the next time.”

Curiosity is at the very root of the scientific process. After observation the first step is to ask, “Why?” Supporting kids’ natural curiosity at an early age about what makes the world work is the best way to excite their interest in STEM. Whether kids aspire to become scientists or artists, science fluency, like being fluent in a language, will make them better at it. If we do not spark curiosity, future generations will not understand the benefits of being science-fluent.

Curiosity is the mark of an active, open, observant mind and helps us see learning as fun, fueling imagination, creativity and innovation. It prepares the brain for learning and makes subsequent learning more rewarding. Research also shows that curiosity is just as important as intelligence in determining how well students do in school.

We know that kids’ curiosity leads to cognitive growth and a new understanding of the world around them, so we feed their quest for knowledge with a unique collection of hands-on experiences and opportunities that prompt questions and exploration. What does an owl eat? How does gravity work? What are the patterns found in nature? What causes chaotic motion? How does light change colors? Why does a snake shed its skin? 

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Founded in 1953 as a junior museum in San Mateo, CA, the museum was rebranded in 2011 as CuriOdyssey, catalyzing growth in audiences, educational programs and exhibits. During the past ten years, CuriOdyssey's annual average attendance grew from just under 70,000 to approximately 200,000 annually, and the exhibit collection has more than doubled to 48 works.

Educational programs (including public school field trips and free programming for underserved schools and groups) now serve thousands of children annually. CuriOdyssey developed one of the most sought after science camp programs for young children in the community.