Curiosity Crafted: Hands-On Learning Adventures with My Children

When was the last time you had fun building something for your children? I have so many good memories of building things with my dad and even more memories of me taking things apart and not being able to put them back together; it took some time for me to actually make, build, or invent something.

The other day, my oldest, little "E," asked me if she could sit on my racing kayak, to which I said no. She then cleverly found something that could be used as her "row row" and pointed to the big box from her new bike. One thing led to another, and I needed to gain some self-control to not try adding a motor and steering system to her first "Soap Box Derby" car. To her, it's an airplane or a boat; it changes by the day.

Kids can be very hands-on if you allow them to explore and be curious. We probably should take note as adults and apply the same strategy to learn new things. Planning is crucial, but for me, usually, the clearest path ahead when building something new or starting an endeavor I have never done before is to get my hands dirty with the task and learn along the way.

Some people learn by doing, others by preparing; there is no perfect way. What you need to be smart about is that there are things where the price of not preparing is too high and too risky, e.g., investing your money without knowledge of finances, going sailing in the open ocean alone for the first time, taking a test without studying for it and having no previous knowledge; you get the point.

Again, there is no perfect way of learning, but you want to feed your curiosity and get your hands to apply the theories so they become practice. That's the main point here: practice what you learn, improve what you practice, master something, and be good at it.

Curiosity is a gift I hope to pass on to my children; it tends to lead you off the beaten path and marvel at things you didn't think were possible. In a child, it will shape their will to be problem solvers and innovative thinkers; in an adult, it will help them be dynamic, not fixed in their ways but flexible enough to adapt, making them very interesting people to talk to.

Go out there and be curious, get yourself some tools (practical or digital; it doesn't matter), and go build something fun!

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Until next time,

J