Do Children Have Ideas?

The human capacity to build ideas is the single most powerful and distinctive feature of our evolution as a species. And yet, we know little about how this capacity emerges. When do children begin constructing ideas, and how does this complex and impressive process unfold? I describe research examining the emergence and early development of the two pillars of idea-building: curiosity and invention. I also offer evidence that at a surprisingly early age children are drawn to considering complex and weighty ideas, such as death and the origins of the human existence. The ability and disposition to consider ideas, so vibrant and robust in early childhood, are easily discouraged as children grow older. The paper ends with a discussion of why it is so important to foster rather than inhibit children’s ability to develop ideas and suggests future directions for research and applications.