Research fits into the day you already have. A walk becomes observation, a question you can't answer becomes a reading trip, dinner becomes an experiment, and a chart on the fridge becomes data. Small habits done often matter more than one big project.
One habit for each step
Each of these matches a chapter of the book, so your child hears the same ideas on the page and at home.
- Notice (Chapter 1): On a walk, ask "What's different from yesterday?" or "What's the smallest thing you can find?" A magnifying glass helps, just like the one Curious Bunny carries on page 2.
- Look it up (Chapter 2): Keep a question jar or notebook in the kitchen. When your child asks something you can't answer, write it down. Once a week, pick one and find the answer together at the library.
- Predict (Chapter 3): Before you bake or boil something, ask "What do you think will happen?" Then watch.
- Plan (Chapter 4): For any small test, ask "What will we change? What will we watch? How will we stay safe?"
- Count (Chapter 5): Draw a sun, cloud, or raindrop by the window each morning. After two weeks, count them up together.
- Share (Chapter 6): At bedtime, ask "What's one thing you noticed or wondered about today?"
Data is already all around you
Kids are collecting data whenever they say "It always rains on soccer day." Help them write it down. A tally of red cars on a drive, a list of everyone's favorite dinner, or a week of notes about where the cat naps are all real datasets. Page 47, Survey Says, shows a clipboard of checkboxes with the line "Asking questions is a great way to get data," which is a nice page to color before your family survey.
Say "I don't know" on purpose
When your child asks you something hard, try "I don't know. How could we find out?" It shows that not knowing is where research starts, and it hands the next step to your child.
For more ideas, see Raising a Curious Kid and Data Is Everywhere. If you want a structured outing, What is a curiosity walk? walks through one.