PARENTING

Nurturing the Curious Mind from 3–6 Years

The Wondrous World of ‘Why?’

I remember the thrill I got when my three-year-old came home singing “The Seven Continents” of the World. My little one was actually learning big stuff. I mean, this wasn’t just an ordinary nursery rhyme; this was the Seven Continents!

“The seven what?” the average adult might ask. But my thumb-sucking princess could rattle them off.

My pride swelled in my cheeks.

Okay, you might think I’m taking this too far. But a Montessori teacher knows her baby has reached the second stage of development, the Conscious Absorbent Mind, when she tries to make sense of the world and applies her newfound knowledge.

This second stage is a time of “self-construction.” The child is not merely an observer but tries to analyze and remember details through movement. Play converts into scientific discoveries. Freedom to explore becomes an essential need to develop to their full potential.

My daughter played with the puzzle pieces of The Seven Continents of the World while singing the song. Bubbling with excitement, she recalled the significant event of her day. She was growing up into a thinking student.