By Kerry Cordy, curiosityuntamed.com
Have you ever noticed how the curiosity of a child is nearly infinite? Every conversation is filled with “Why?” or “How?” Yet as they age, that curiosity begins to get buried beneath knowledge that must be memorized or tasks that must be completed. There is suddenly no time for questions, for wonder, for exploration. Curiosity Untamed seeks to change that and to remind parents that it doesn’t take a stack of textbooks and worksheets to educate a child. Learning should be exciting, engaging and hands-on!
Curiosity Untamed is a badge based educational incentive program. Think of it sort of like a homeschool scouting program with thousands of badges to earn on just about any subject your child shows an interest in. There are thousands of badges to choose from with new ones added every month. Badges are divided into nine different Areas of Discovery:
- Discover Agriculture
- Discover Art
- Discover Character
- Discover Health and Safety
- Discover the Home
- Discover Knowledge
- Discover the Outdoors
- Discover Science and Technology
- Discover the World
Each badge has a list of requirements to guide you in teaching your child. These requirements are broken down into 5 different age levels ranging from preschool all the way to adults. As the children age, the requirements spiral back to reinforce what was learned at the younger levels to ensure older kids do not miss anything important that may have been required at a younger age. This allows everyone in the whole family to work on the same badge at the same time just at differing degrees of difficulty.
Badges can turn every activity into an engaging educational opportunity. Take a break for lunch and earn the Sandwiches badge and learn about different sandwiches around the world. Take it a step farther and earn the Garnishes badge or Food Presentation Badge to make your food look spectacular! Need to get moving and find a unique way to get your PE hours in? Try the Hula Hoop badge or the Obstacle Course badge. Got a skinned knee? Earn your First Aid badge. Going out to dinner as a family? Make sure to earn your Etiquette badge.
There is a badge for just about anything and combining more than one badge teaches kids to ask MORE questions, not less. For example, if you are studying birds, you might be working on the Birds badge. Of course, the best way to learn about birds is to watch them in action so you may also wish to work on the Bird Watching badge at the same time. One of the optional requirements of this badge is to make a birdhouse so that you can attract birds to your yard. If your child enjoys it, they may wonder what else they can make from scraps of wood which would lead them to the Woodworking badge. In decorating their birdhouse, they may learn wood burning techniques which may lead to more questions and earning the Pyrography badge. Who knew that learning about birds could lead to learning about wood burning? Each badge your child earns will lead to more questions and more badges, showing them how interconnected the world is.
Giving your child a physical badge as a memento of what they learned not only incentivizes them to keep learning, but also provides a reward for completing the necessary requirements. Beyond incentives, these badges become cherished reminders of acquired knowledge, fostering a continuous connection between accomplishments and fun learning activities. Our badges can be purchased as either button style pins or as magnets.
While many families use Curiosity Untamed badges as their main learning tool, some choose to use the badges to supplement curriculum they have purchased elsewhere to add a bit of fun and excitement to it. Others use the program for extracurricular enrichment and form a Quest Club to earn badges with friends. Quest Clubs are flexible scouting style clubs where each club chooses its own name, uniform and membership policies. Whether your club is all boys, all girls, or co-ed, and whether it leans toward religious or secular themes, the setup is entirely customizable, giving you the freedom to shape your club to suit your preferences.
By motivating children to pursue their passions, Curiosity Untamed instills a love for lifelong learning. Through this innovative approach, homeschooling transcends traditional boundaries, and children emerge not only as knowledgeable individuals but as resilient, inquisitive, and enthusiastic lifelong learners, well-equipped for the boundless adventures of education that await them.