- \n
- Investigate and explore<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Make connections between what they know and what they are discovering<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reflect on what they have learned<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- <\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Focus and Self-Control<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Perspective Taking<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Communicating<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Making Connections<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Critical Thinking<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Taking on Challenges<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Self-Directed and Engaged Learning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is about helping them grow into curious, confident, and adaptable thinkers\u2014ready to navigate challenges, ask good questions, and make thoughtful decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ourlearningjourney.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Parent-and-Child-Gena-1024x593.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\tWhat Can Parents Do at Home?<\/strong><\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Even with busy schedules, parents play a powerful role in encouraging these habits of mind. We don\u2019t need fancy tools\u2014just small moments of connection and curiosity.
Here are some easy, meaningful ways to activate inquiry at home:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t1 . Ask thinking questions: Try open-ended prompts like:<\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- <\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cWhat was interesting today?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cHow do you think that works?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cWhat would you do differently next time?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These encourage children to think, express, and explore possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ourlearningjourney.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/9ba85977-1e84-47ce-9b8b-9f454d0020dd.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t2 . Make daily life a discovery lab<\/strong><\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Let your child help sort groceries or set the table by size, colour, or type.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Water a plant together and observe how it changes over time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Explore what melts faster\u2014ice in a cup or on a plate?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These small activities grow focus, observation, and reasoning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- <\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Let your child build, pretend, and create freely. E.g. A box becomes a rocket, a spoon a microphone\u2014imagination fuels problem-solving and innovation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ourlearningjourney.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/A7301473-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t4 . Model curiosity<\/strong><\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Say things like –<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You don\u2019t need to know the answer. Finding out is more important than just getting the answer!<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cI\u2019m not sure\u2014what do you think?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cLet\u2019s find out together.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\t\n\t\t5 . Praise effort, not just outcomes<\/strong><\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Notice and affirm persistence, creative thinking, or teamwork. This builds resilience and self-belief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u201cYou tried three ways before it worked\u2014well done!\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cHmm, you\u2019re not giving up, that\u2019s great. I wonder if we could\u2026?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ourlearningjourney.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250211_031356995_iOS-2-scaled.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nInquiry-based learning does not replace strong academics\u2014it strengthens them by giving children the thinking tools to make sense of the world. When home and school work together, that\u2019s when real learning takes root.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n
So when a child asks \u201cwhy,\u201d \u201cwhat if,\u201d or \u201ccan I try this?\u201d\u2014 let\u2019s lean in. That might just be the moment they are growing into the future-ready person they were meant to be.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCara Lee is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Anglican Preschool Services<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"How Inquiry-Based Learning Builds Lifelong Skills\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[102,45],"class_list":{"0":"post-6496","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-parenting","8":"tag-early-childhood-education","9":"tag-parenting","10":"cs-entry","11":"cs-video-wrap"},"yoast_head":"\n
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\n\t\n\t\t3 . Support imaginative play<\/strong><\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- <\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- <\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Let your child build, pretend, and create freely. E.g. A box becomes a rocket, a spoon a microphone\u2014imagination fuels problem-solving and innovation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ourlearningjourney.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3293-scaled.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThis approach develops what researchers from the Mind in the Making (MITM) Institute, call the 7 Essential Life Skills every child needs to thrive<\/strong>, skills that make your child future-ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n