When I was a kid, there were few things I loved more than research. I specifically remember pulling out an encyclopedia “V” book from the early 1980s that my parents had on their bookshelf when I wanted to learn more about volleyball. I read everything I could get my hands on, and the last few pages of American Girl books were always my favorite because they delved into the real history of the time and facts about the historical events mentioned in the books. I was a curious kid and it felt great to be able to use books (and later the internet) to find out things.
As a parent, that joy still lingers. What I love most is when my three daughters ask me questions and ask me for more information about animals, history, hobbies, etc. With so much information at our fingertips, you might think research would be easier, but in reality, it feels more difficult than ever. The internet isn’t the best place for kids to find information these days. Between AI-generated summaries, published misinformation, and the deep wells of the internet that lead kids further and further away from what they actually wanted to know (often ending up in places they weren’t ready for), many parents are blocking Google and search engines from their children’s devices completely.
There’s also that pesky “instant gratification” that many of us parents try to steer our kids away from. Be able to choose the exact episode of the show you want right now We seem to have lost the idea of waiting for information when we have an idea for a hobby and can buy it all with one click and have it delivered to our door within hours.
And in a world where you can rely on your phone to get an answer right away – any answer is fine – the idea of switching to more analogue research ideas feels unattainable. It’s like wanting your kids to have an iPod, only to find out that the technology no longer exists the way you’d like. How can we satisfy children’s curiosity without relying on Amazon devices, AI, or Google?
“Answer questions with more questions,” Shara Arora, executive director of two Montessori schools in Texas, tells Scary Mommy. “When children ask a question, don’t immediately look up the answer. Instead, use open-ended questions, such as ‘What do you think?’, to encourage problem-solving.” From there, children can use their own critical thinking skills and imagination to question the question before they start investigating. And when is it time to look something up? The library is still available.
Please go to the library.
“We forget what a great resource they are,” Greer Bradshaw, who has been an elementary school teacher for 20 years, tells Scary Mommy. “Most homes these days still don’t have encyclopedias. Ordering books from Amazon only adds to overconsumption and instant gratification, but libraries are free and full of information. Kids can discover things on their own, research books, dig as deep as they want into any subject, and come out the other side knowing they’ve got real facts and information they can trust.”
Bradshaw said so many people, both parents and children, have told her that they feel libraries are outdated. But when you really get down to it, whether your kids want to learn about volcanoes or the first Super Bowl, a lot of what you find on the internet is basic facts that you can find in any book or encyclopedia (just stuffed with SEO keywords and chatter to make it easier to search).
“There are many nonfiction books and encyclopedias for children on all kinds of topics. Some of our favorites include: All Eyewitness Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to the World Around You, National Geographic’s First Big Way Book for Young Children, and A fascinating animal book for children I recommend Arora. “Physically examining a book slows the child down and makes learning feel more intentional.”
And no matter what your position, don’t forget how important reading is. Much of my own knowledge about things comes from reading in books, and by taking my kids to the library often and checking out new books, I can give them a whole new level of ability and wisdom.
Find experts in stores, museums and centers.
For kids who are interested in something as broad and specific as what it was like to be a kid during World War II or how to care for a guinea pig, reaching out to a real community and finding someone to share that information with can be invaluable. Visit local museums, centers, and even clubs and see if they have someone available to answer your child’s questions. If you want to know what your child needs to own a bird, go to your local pet store and ask the employee there. If your child is interested in trains, visit your local railway museum or take a train ride. If your family wants to learn more about the origins of their hometown, libraries and city halls have a wealth of information.
Searching for information in this way also helps children feel like detectives. It’s also a lot of fun to explore everything you want to know using real locations and physical items.
Remember, information can be overwhelming.
The other day I went to make some hard-boiled eggs, and I remembered that I have a new “hack” for making perfect hard-boiled eggs. I couldn’t remember if I saw it on Instagram Reels, a Facebook post, or a newsletter, so I Googled it. I quickly became overwhelmed. There were millions of search results for “perfect boiled egg” and I panicked. Everyone’s approach is different, some say 7 minutes, others 10 minutes. I almost gave up when I took a breather and remembered that I had at least 15 cookbooks on my bookshelf.
I opened up something basic, something I had received as a Christmas present as a child, and found a simple “recipe” for hard-boiled eggs. And you know what? It worked like a charm.
“This is a great example of why we don’t need to cram information,” Bradshaw says. “It’s one thing to want to find a recipe or figure something out. It’s another to be stressed out thinking you have to find a recipe.” the best Recipes, etc. the best How to fix something. ” When we research, especially children, what we want them to remember is that it’s okay not to have all the information, as long as you find what you’re looking for.
And it’s okay to keep wondering, coming up with ideas, and thinking about the answers.
If your child wants to learn more about giraffes, they can go to the library and pick up a book about giraffes, which will give them lots of information. But if you’re curious about whether giraffes will ever get tired of eating leaves, it’s a great time to continue the discussion instead of turning to AI or Alexa devices.
You know; you’re tired and overstimulated, and you really want your kids to stop asking questions (and asking an Echo device, “Does a giraffe get tired of eating leaves?” sounds like a funny thing to do). But this is the kind of thing that kids should keep thinking about and find answers for themselves. This is an opportunity to share what we’ve learned about giraffes – their eating habits and behavior, and how that affects their leaf preferences and emotional responses to eating something repeatedly.
We want to give kids the tools to understand things rather than just sliding the answer over and over again. And Arora says it’s important to normalize not knowing everything. “We’re at an age now where kids are full of questions. They often trip me up, but I say, ‘That’s a great question. I don’t have the answer, but maybe we can figure it out together and learn about it.’ This shows that even adults don’t know everything, and that’s okay. We’re all learning all the time.”
Let’s be honest, how many times have you searched for something on the internet or TikTok or whatever and the answer was basically, “I’m not sure, but I think yadda yadda”? Um? Children, and even adults, can come up with their own yadda yadda.
Conduct practical research.
It’s also important to remember the importance of hands-on research for kids who want to find ways to do or fix something, Arora says. “Instead of looking it up right away, encourage your kids to experiment, build, test ideas, and readjust if they don’t work. It’s much more satisfying to figure something out than to find an answer on Google.”
You can also jot down any fleeting thoughts that pop into your child’s head when they’re not at the library or haven’t had a chance to read a book or watch a documentary yet, and save them for when you can concentrate. Because we have quick access to information, it’s easy to quickly search for something, read the answer, and quickly leave your brain. By being intentional with your research and planning to look into something when you can give it your all, you can open up and soak it all in a little more, which can have a more lasting impact.
Technology isn’t going away. Of course, we want our children to be able to use technology as a tool when they need it. But you can also help them use technology smarter by finding other avenues to satisfy their curiosity. “In a fast-paced, instant gratification world, it’s good to slow down. In fact, teaching kids to research in books and experiment on their own can help them be more thoughtful and critical when using Google and AI,” says Arora.
So don’t stop encouraging your child to answer questions on his own by researching books, finding documentaries, and asking local experts. The more you can encourage your children to look for their own information, rather than just reading the brief overview of AI that comes up at the beginning, the more likely they are to become critical thinkers. And the world needs more of them.
