Why is it necessary for kids to stay up-to-date with current affairs?

• Have you ever wondered about the root cause of the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
• Or deep-dived into thinking why The Caspian Sea is not actually a sea?
• Do you have a clue how our honourable president Smt Draupadi Murmu was elected? 
• Have you ever scratched your head after watching Interstellar thinking is time travel really possible?
• Or do you know why the sky is blue, not red?

Answers to probing and insightful questions like these are uncovered in the domain of General Knowledge.

In today’s modern world marked by various paradigm shifts, looking beyond academics is imperative for a kid’s growth. General Knowledge for children fulfils the aim of learning beyond classrooms and gaining knowledge about different areas. General Knowledge as a tool allows one to do so.

Parents often wonder why general knowledge for kids holds so much importance. Only when they look beyond the marksheet and school syllabus, they appreciate the benefits of investing time in learning general knowledge. It develops a kid’s social, sensitive, communicative, reasoning and analytical skills. It helps them build their own perspective about the world from a tender stage, gain new insights and prepare them to face challenging situations in life. General Knowledge for kids not only helps to ensure a good job in future but also helps in building interpersonal relations with people from different walks of life.

In layman’s terms, general knowledge is the knowledge of every aspect of human life. However, General knowledge is branched into different domains. Like

• Scientific
• Political
• Historic
• Technological
• Nature
• Food
• Art and Culture

Having a solid general knowledge background spans way beyond knowing the answers to a trivia and general knowledge quizzes. Here are some reasons why is an important facet of your kid’s development-

• Improves social and general awareness
• Stimulates their mental process
• Refines their analytical and thinking abilities
• Develop kids into confident, self-aware, friendly and outgoing personalities.
• Prepares them for co-curricular activities like quiz competitions, and Olympiads.
• Helps to prepare for competitive exams and interviews.
• It’s a productive way to spend time rather than frittering away time on social networking sites.

Maria Montessori, an Italian physician postulates that a child is like a sponge who absorbs all the provided information. However, it’s the responsibility of the parents to ensure that the kid is absorbing the right information at the right time in the right direction.

First and foremost, parents need to realise that learning general knowledge is a process beyond academics. For best outcomes, they should emphasise learning in a manner that’s interesting, fun and simple. Most parents are stuck in the dilemma over-

• How to start improving a kid’s general knowledge without overwhelming them with information?
• What should be the themes to explore based on the age of the child?
• How to present the information in a simple and engaging manner?

Here are a few ways to amplify a kid’s general knowledge in a gentle way-

1. Make learning simple and interesting

• Start by feeding them with bite-sized information. 
• Sports, personalities, monuments, and interesting science facts are some general awareness topics that will help to spark a kid’s imagination and interest. 
• YouTube clips, snippets of documentaries and cartoons are available that make learning fun. 
• Playing games to reinforce the concepts.
• Participating in GK quizzes to make learning fun and measurable.
• Visiting museums, exploring historical and UNESCO heritage sites to broaden the kid’s domain of awareness.
• Watch National Geographic Kids, Discovery, and history channels to learn via practical examples and innovative ideas
• Periodically follow news channels, specifically CNN and BBC for the daily bulletin.

2. Tune into documentaries
   Documentaries have wonderful ways of explaining even the most complex phenomena making them easier for kids to grasp. Kids should watch 

• History 101
• The Creative Brain
• The Future of Our Planet
• Human: The World Within
• Life in colour
• How To Change Your Mind
• The Speed Cubers

Kids who wish to venture deep into the world of documentaries should download and explore Curiosity Stream App. It’s the world’s leading documentary streaming app.

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3. Learn via Internet
   Brilliant resources are available online to help kids improve their general knowledge. Some great websites are-

• How Stuff Works
• Exploratorium
• Scholastic
• TIME for Kids
• Britannica
• Fox News
• Big Think
• Down to Earth

4. Read books, newspapers and magazines
   Kids should diligently follow a newspaper, reading important news and current affairs in India and around the world. Manorama, Yojana, and Mathrubhumi Yearbook are some magazines kids can refer to. Moreover, parents should encourage reading habits in their kids by gifting them books.
5. Participate in quiz contests and olympiads
   Quiz contests are an entertaining way to hone general knowledge skills. Encourage your kids to participate in quiz contests and Olympiads. In exchange, they are awarded with cash prizes and certificates of participation which motivates them to do well subsequently.

In today’s competitive world it has become crucial for kids to learn beyond the four walls of the classroom. General Knowledge is one tool that allows them to broaden the horizons of their understanding and gives them the freedom to explore from grassroots to galaxies and everything in between. It shapes the development of a kid and plays a pivotal role in determining their success in future.

There are few things in life that can be habit forming, harmless, fun and useful at the same time – Getting versed with General Knowledge is one!