--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When children are very young, they have…" description: "\"“When children are very young, they have natural curiosities about the world and explore them, trying diligently to figure out what is real. As they be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/john-holt-14171_children_when-children-are-very-young-they-have-n_19635.jpg" --- # When children are very young, they have natural… ![“When children are very young, they have natural curiosities about the world and explore them, trying diligently to figure out what is real. As they become "producers " they fall away from exploration and start fishing for the right answers with little thought. They believe they must always be…” quote by John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/john-holt-14171_children_when-children-are-very-young-they-have-n_19635.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/john-holt-14171_children_when-children-are-very-young-they-have-n_19635.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/john-holt-14171_children_when-children-are-very-young-they-have-n_19635.jpg) > ““When children are very young, they have natural curiosities about the world and explore them, trying diligently to figure out what is real. As they become "producers " they fall away from exploration and start fishing for the right answers with little thought. They believe they must always be right, so they quickly forget mistakes and how these mistakes were made. They believe that the only good response from the teacher is "yes," and that a "no" is defeat.”” [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children start as curious explorers, but schooling often shifts them to seeking correct answers, suppressing mistakes and the value of 'no'. **In simple terms:** Exploration vs. answer‑seeking Key Takeaway Encourage curiosity, not just correctness Themes education learning mindset mistake culture teacher‑student dynamics Mood reflective inquisitive critical Type advice observation When to use this quote - classroom instruction - parental guidance - self‑directed learning - creative projects - problem‑solving workshops Key Concepts intrinsic motivation growth mindset feedback Practical Applications - design curricula that reward inquiry - train teachers to value 'no' as feedback Questions to Reflect On - How can we redesign assessment to value process over product? - What practices help children retain the habit of questioning? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Learning process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-process/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) ## Related quotes > [“Artists who painted natural curiosities found themselves documenting a world emerging and disappearing at the same time, a brief encounter as species heading for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-todd/artists-who-painted-natural-curiosities-found-themselves-documenting/) [Kim Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-todd/) > [Give advice to your children while they're young enough to believe you know what you're talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/give-advice-to-your-children-while-they-re-young-enough-to-believe/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [I think it's really good to get early work experience. I'm not sure if it will happen with my children, but for many young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-young/i-think-it-s-really-good-to-get-early-work-experience-i-m-not-sure-if/) [Paul Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-young/) > [I remain totally convinced that when children are young, however busy we may be with the practical duties inside the home, themost important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-remain-totally-convinced-that-when-children-are-young-however-busy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [We have thought that because children are young they are silly. We have forgotten the blind stirrings, the reaching outward of our own youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel-robinson/we-have-thought-that-because-children-are-young-they-are-silly-we/) Mabel Robinson > [I have two children and they're young yet but all of the children that I know really inspire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/i-have-two-children-and-they-re-young-yet-but-all-of-the-children/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) > [Children in their young teens are just moving into the moment when they are most receptive to philosophy and psychology. You can explore these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-thompson/children-in-their-young-teens-are-just-moving-into-the-moment-when/) [Kate Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-thompson/) > [God bless little children while they're still too young to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-t-hall/god-bless-little-children-while-they-re-still-too-young-to-hate/) [Tom T. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-t-hall/) > [I believe that my children, who are young, will look back on the early years of the 21st century in rather the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/i-believe-that-my-children-who-are-young-will-look-back-on-the-early/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [“Our children, when young, are part of ourselves. When they grow up they are just other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-vine/our-children-when-young-are-part-of-ourselves-when-they-grow-up-they/) [Barbara Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-vine/) > [When children are very young, you read them books that are positive to help them go to sleep. But there comes a moment when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/when-children-are-very-young-you-read-them-books-that-are-positive-to/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [My children are still young, but I try to talk to them about giving back and how important it is, just to look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liya-kebede/my-children-are-still-young-but-i-try-to-talk-to-them-about-giving/) [Liya Kebede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liya-kebede/) > [When my children were young, I set my routine according to their needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hema-malini/when-my-children-were-young-i-set-my-routine-according-to-their-needs/) [Hema Malini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hema-malini/) > [Wars are indeed fought by children, by young people who have little to say in where they are sent to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-shaara/wars-are-indeed-fought-by-children-by-young-people-who-have-little-to/) [Jeff Shaara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-shaara/) > [I think it is a great idea for people to look at the reality of raising children at a young age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-frost/i-think-it-is-a-great-idea-for-people-to-look-at-the-reality-of/) [Jo Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-frost/) ## More by John Holt > [The idea of painless, nonthreatening coercion is an illusion. Fear is the inseparable companion of coercion, and its inescapable consequence. If you think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/the-idea-of-painless-nonthreatening-coercion-is-an-illusion-fear-is/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [The biggest enemy to learning is the talking teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/the-biggest-enemy-to-learning-is-the-talking-teacher/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [“Fear, boredom, and resistance--they all go to make what we call stupid children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/fear-boredom-and-resistance-they-all-go-to-make-what-we-call-stupid/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [“Much of what we call History is the success stories of madmen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/much-of-what-we-call-history-is-the-success-stories-of-madmen/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [Schools assume that children are not interested in learning and are not much good at it, that they will not learn unless made to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/schools-assume-that-children-are-not-interested-in-learning-and-are/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [“John, if you ever get a family, there’s one thing you should know. No matter how well you get along with your children when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/john-if-you-ever-get-a-family-there-s-one-thing-you-should-know-no/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [It is hard not to feel that there must be something very wrong with much of what we do in school, if we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/it-is-hard-not-to-feel-that-there-must-be-something-very-wrong-with/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [“Why do they do this? Because it gives them a license to act like tyrants and to feel like saints. “Do what I tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/why-do-they-do-this-because-it-gives-them-a-license-to-act-like/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [“We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/we-learn-to-do-something-by-doing-it-there-is-no-other-way/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [Since we can't know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/since-we-can-t-know-what-knowledge-will-be-most-needed-in-the-future/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [“Leaders are not, as we are often led to think, people who go along with huge crowds following them. Leaders are people who go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/leaders-are-not-as-we-are-often-led-to-think-people-who-go-along-with/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [People should be free to find or make for themselves the kinds of educational experience they want their children to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/people-should-be-free-to-find-or-make-for-themselves-the-kinds-of/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [“Someone asked the other day, "Why do we go to school?" Pat, with vigor unusual in her, said, "So when we grow up we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/someone-asked-the-other-day-why-do-we-go-to-school-pat-with-vigor/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [“I doubt very much if it is possible to teach anyone to understand anything, that is to say, to see how various parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/i-doubt-very-much-if-it-is-possible-to-teach-anyone-to-understand/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [We can best help children learn, not by deciding what we think they should learn and thinking of ingenious ways to teach it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/we-can-best-help-children-learn-not-by-deciding-what-we-think-they/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) [Explore all 46 John Holt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When children are very young, they have natural curiosities about the world and explore them, trying diligently to figure out what is real. As they become \"producers \" they fall away from exploration and start fishing for the right answers with little thought. 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