Young Innovators

Innovation is one common denominator amongst the world’s most successful entrepreneurs or personalities. Not just in the sense of inventing a new technology or product, but finding creative solutions to age-old problems or a new way of looking at the world. Looking at it from another perspective, innovation is also key to business growth and sustainability. The innovative entrepreneurs keep their businesses ahead of the game and adapt to the world ahead of them. 

What we as early caregivers need to understand is that being innovative isn’t a gift bestowed on a lucky few, but a muscle one needs to exercise as early as possible. 

By encouraging curiosity around the house, we are in essence associating questioning positively. The more the children are exposed to new ideas and perspectives, the greater motivation they will have to continue learning and diving deeper into the subject. In general, encouraging children to ask questions and positively reinforce their natural curiosity will give them a life skill that can set them apart in any task. If we want our kids to think critically then we can help them by asking open-ended questions, giving them space to discover how things work, and develop their own hypotheses and ideas on the world around them.

Innovation does not come out of the blue, it requires some sort of inspiration to get things started. Much like we need fruits and vegetables for a healthy diet, young minds need healthy mental stimulation. Creating an environment where our children are exposed to inspirational sparks, whether it be literacy or nature, can get them hooked on seeking these triggers. Getting our children out on nature walks or encouraging them to read can give their young minds much needed mental stimulation. Any activity that requires utilizing all of their senses and thinking caps can shape their mindset for years to come.

Innovators are risk-takers, they stand by their ideas when everyone else warned them otherwise. It takes more than a strong sense of self-confidence and positivity to take risks, it also requires a healthy relationship with failure. When our children face failure in their tasks, they can either learn from it and do better next time or let it overcome them, creating a self-fulfilling cycle that is difficult to escape. When our children go through difficult times or when they’ve made a decision that failed to pay off, we need to guide them to help them realize there are valuable lessons to be had. This will help them develop a better grasp of the concept of risk-taking. This must be done at a healthy distance so they can come to this realization independently and better weigh their decisions in the future eventually gaining self confidence.

Self-confidence can make them positive thinkers who always look at challenges as problems to be solved versus obstacles that can’t be overcome. Even if they fail in their attempts, they would see failure as something to learn from, rather than be defeated by it.

Warm Regards,

Purva Deosugur

Early Years Coordinator

Kanakia Kids IS