How the Experience of Wonder Shapes Children

Wonder is present in infancy and shapes how children learn, relate, and grow.

Posted June 2, 2026 | Reviewed by Kaja Perina

Wonder is often described as an emotion or a behavior, but it is more accurately understood as a state that integrates both. Fueled by curiosity, surprise, confusion, delight, anticipation, and connection, wonder invites children to see the familiar with fresh eyes, engage the unknown, and transform experience into meaning. In turn, wonder fuels the imagination —not simply the capacity for pretend play, but the ability to hold symbolic ideas in mind, consider multiple possibilities, and develop skills such as cognitive flexibility, perspective-taking , and problem-solving 1 .

Children wonder about experiences that feel significant to them. Emotions signal that significance, organizing attention , memory , interpretation, and action as children work to understand how an experience fits into their developing sense of themselves, their relationships, and the world around them.

All learning occurs through a dynamic process of meaning-making, supported by an authentic state of wonder, not repetition alone. As children explore their worlds and take note of patterns and themes, choosing what information gets digested and what gets ignored, they are relying on the cues of important adults, the emotional information they experience, and their own internal sense of motivation to stay immersed in a state of wonder.

Maintaining a sense of wonder as they explore helps children develop the habits of mind and heart needed throughout life: finding delight rather than threat in the unfamiliar, remaining open to different perspectives, imagining new possibilities, testing ideas without fear of failure, and continuing forward even when the path is uncertain.

From the earliest days of life, babies are active participants in understanding the world around them. Researchers have found that infants attend simultaneously to multiple streams of information, including emotional tone, timing, contingency, and relational expectations 2 .

A baby who waves and receives a joyful wave in return is not simply enjoying a pleasant interaction. We can observe their delight at the response, and sense wonder occurring when they wave again and again, checking between their own hand and the beautiful face smiling back at them. They are gathering evidence about connection.

Babies learn that their actions can influence others, that relationships are reciprocal, and that certain patterns can be trusted. Over time, these experiences become internalized as expectations and beliefs about how the social world works.

As infants grow into toddlers, wonder becomes increasingly visible. They begin to point, gesture, imitate, and seek shared attention with others. They repeatedly test patterns and expectations, delighting in familiar games while also noticing when something unexpected occurs. A favorite routine changes. A caregiver responds differently than usual. A toy behaves in an unfamiliar way. These moments of surprise are not interruptions to development; they are catalysts for it. When wonder is supported and scaffolded in the space between expectation and uncertainty, children are invited to reconsider what they know and imagine what might come next.

Tips for raising wonder at home and in the early childhood classroom

Follow Their Fascination

Infants and toddlers tell us what is meaningful to them through their attention. When a baby stares at a ceiling fan, repeatedly drops a spoon, or becomes captivated by a dog across the street, resist the urge to redirect them too quickly. Instead, slow down and join them in the experience.

Wonder grows when children discover that their attention matters. By following their gaze, narrating what they notice, and sharing their delight, you communicate a powerful message: the things that capture your curiosity are worth exploring.

Make Caregiving Relational

If babies are learning all the time, then all caregiving moments, inclusive but not limited to play, are learning moments.

Diaper changes, bottle feeds, getting dressed, and stroller rides are not interruptions to development. From the earliest days of life, babies are making meaning from the emotional, social, and sensory information surrounding them, and finding wonder spontaneously. Wonder grows when caregivers join them in that process.

When your baby notices their toes, resist the urge to simply move on.

"Oh, you found your toes! Have we counted them yet? Let's see. I wonder what we'll find out."

When your infant pauses during a feeding to stare at the window, follow their attention.

"You're looking at something. I wonder what caught your eye. Here's something I'm noticing..."

The goal is not to teach facts. It is to notice together. Wonder develops when children learn that their experiences matter and that another person is interested in exploring them alongside them. Long before children can talk, they can participate in a conversation of curiosity through their gaze, gestures, sounds, and expressions. Every caregiving interaction is an opportunity to say, "Let's wonder about this together."

Leave Space for Not Knowing

Adults often rush to explain the world to children. While information is important, wonder thrives in the space between certainty and understanding, and adults can role model a positive relationship to the unknown. When something unexpected happens, pause before supplying an answer. A toddler notices a shadow moving across the floor. An infant hears a new sound. Rather than immediately explaining, linger together in the experience. "I wonder what made that sound. Let’s think about it together.”

Wonder develops when children learn that uncertainty is not something to fear or eliminate. It is an invitation to pay attention, think, and discover. Children do not simply need help managing experiences; they need help understanding them. Every time we help children connect what happened, how they feel, and what it means, we strengthen the foundations of wonder.

Ultimately, supporting wonder is less about creating extraordinary experiences and more about approaching ordinary moments with curiosity, presence, and shared meaning. Wonder is born when children discover that the world is meaningful and that there are trusted people beside them to help make sense of it.

Burns, H. (2024). Imagining imagination: Towards cognitive and metacognitive models. Pedagogy, Culture & Society , 32(2), 515-534.
Gopnik, A., & Schulz, L. (2004). Mechanisms of causal learning in infants and young children. Trends in Cognitive Sciences , 8(8), 307-312.

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Erika Bocknek, PhD, LMFT, is a family therapist and host of the podcast Raising Souls.

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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.