From birth to age five, children learn an astonishing amount about how the world works. They learn how to speak and understand a complex language, how objects that disappear from view can still exist, and how people feel about events in their lives. They are, as several researchers point out, among the best learners in the universe (Gopnik, Meltzoff & Kuhl, 1999). So how do they learn?


They grab things, examine them, bang them on the floor, and drop them. It’s as if they need to discover the world around them. They will walk or crawl toward fragile items and off-limits places. When they find a game they enjoy, like peek-a-boo, they want to play it over and over again (Gopnik et al., 1999).

These activities are all part of a larger learning process. Scientists call this process hypothesis testing. It’s an extremely powerful way that young children learn. It’s so powerful, in fact, that the world’s leading scientists use the same methods.


To understand hypothesis testing with children, we first must realize that it always begins with what they already know. What children already know influences how they think, how they react to situations, and how they see the world around them. Children learn by building upon, and then reshaping, what they already know
about the world (Gopnik et al., 1999).

Based on what they know, children make predictions about what they think will happen (Gopnik et al., 1999). These predictions are called hypotheses. When children make predictions about things and then test their ideas, they are hypothesis testing. Of course, hypotheses can be right or wrong, and that’s why children—just like scientists—need to test them over and over again to make sure they get them right.

  1. Making observations
  2. Asking questions
  3. Creating hypotheses (what they think will happen based on what they know)
  4. Testing hypotheses
  5. Evaluating the evidence


Peek-a-boo seems like an obvious game to adults. It’s fun to play, but adults know exactly what’s going to happen. There’s no real mystery to the game. Nobody’s afraid that the baby might disappear forever just because she’s out of view.

“Where’s mommy?” “Peek-a-boo!” (baby giggles) “Where’s mommy?” “Peek-a-boo!” (baby giggles again). Sound familiar? Every parent and caregiver around the world knows the joy of playing peek-a-boo. Hiding your faces from a baby, waiting a few precious moments, and then bursting into view with wide eyes, a big smile, and a loud “peek-a-boo!” can be delightfully fun. It’s so much fun, you probably don’t realize that you are part of an ongoing scientific experiment. This giggling baby is the scientist.


Now let’s look at peek-a-boo from a young child’s point of view. When an adult hides his face, the baby thinks about the situation very differently. The adult might really be gone! Peek-a-boo helps children learn that something can be hidden from view but still exist in the world. If we slow the game down, it may look something like this:

  1. I can’t see Daddy’s face. (making an observation)
  2. Where did he go? Is daddy still there? (asking a question)
  3. I’ve played this game before, and I think he’s still there. (creating a hypothesis)
  4. Let’s see . . . Peek-a-boo! It’s great to see Daddy again! (testing hypothesis)
  5. I was right. Daddy can hide his face, but I know he’s still here. (evaluating the evidence)

By playing peek-a-boo, children test their ideas about things that disappear. Over time and with evidence from many games, children learn that objects still exist even when they’re hidden from view.


Let’s use a crib mobile method from a well known scientific experiment as an example of how hypothesis testing might work with a baby (Rovee-Collier, Sullivan, Enright, Lucas, & Fagan, 1980). Tyler is three months old, and he loves to watch how things move. One day, Tyler’s dad gently attached one end of a ribbon to Tyler’s foot, and the other end of the ribbon to a mobile hanging above his crib. After a few moments, Tyler discovered that when he kicked, the mobile moved above him. So he kicked his foot again. The mobile moved, just like the first time. Soon, Tyler was kicking all the time—he learned that he could make the mobile move by kicking his foot. After playing for a short time, Tyler’s dad removed the ribbon from Tyler’s foot and took the mobile down from the crib. A few days later, Tyler’s dad did the same thing and attached one end of a ribbon to the mobile and the other end to Tyler’s foot.

It was time for Tyler to test a hypothesis. It might have gone something like this:

  1. I see the mobile.
  2. Can I make it move?
  3. I made it move before by kicking, so kicking might make it move again.
  4. I will kick again.
  5. It moved! I can make the mobile move by kicking!


Through hypothesis testing, babies like Tyler learn that they can make things happen. Making mobiles dance is only the first step. Once babies learn that they can make things happen, they want to make lots of things happen. One discovery leads to a handful of new ideas to test.

Hypothesis testing is an active process, and young children are active learners. By observing, asking questions, making predictions, and testing their ideas, children make astonishing discoveries. These discoveries lead to new observations, new hypotheses, and new tests in an amazing upward spiral of learning.
 
  • Take the time to let children explore, test and learn at their own pace.
  • Repetition is an important part of hypothesis testing and learning. Try to enjoy your baby’s explorations, even if it means playing peek-a-boo over and over again.
  • Provide lots of opportunities for your baby to explore. Try taking your baby outside to see, touch and feel all sorts
    of new things.
  • Try to provide a safe environment for discovery. Little explorers will get into everything within their reach.

Scientists need lots of time, good helpers and safe places to make important new discoveries. Babies need the same things—and lots of hugs along the way.

back to top

 

References:

Gopnik, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Kuhl, P. K. (1999). The scientist in the crib: Minds, brains, and how children learn. New York: William Morrow.

Rovee-Collier, C. K., Sullivan, M. W., Enright, M., Lucas, D., & Fagen, J. W. (1980). Reactivation of infant memory. Science, 208, 1159-1161.

 

 

© 2008 Talaris Institute. All rights reserved.  |  Email Us