What Kids Know

By Christine Arena

Looking for ways to change the world? Try seeing things through the eyes of your children. Kids have a remarkably holistic view – a natural inclination to consider the grand scheme of things. They practice systems thinking without even knowing it.

Why do mountains exist? To give animals a place to climb. Why is the sun in the sky? To keep us warm. What are trees for? To provide shade. What about rain? To give us water for drinking.

“Unlike educated adults, young children demonstrate a promiscuous tendency to explain objects and phenomena by reference to functions, endorsing what are called teleological explanations,” says University of California-Berkeley psychologist Tania Lombrozo. “They possess a fundamental urge to comprehend the world as purposeful.”

Imagine what would change if adults thought more purposefully. How might we design cities if we considered their purpose of creating thriving citizens? What about schools? Or homes? Or pacifiers? Or rubber ducks?

A child’s mind is a pillar for upward mobility. It’s the ability to see things anew – to take in unfiltered the all the true and wondrous things around us and make meaningful connections. This is not the same thing as naivety or childishness – on the contrary. From an ecological and social progress point of view, kid’s thoughts are genius.

“Maybe you’ve had grand plans before but stopped yourself thinking: “uh, that’s impossible” or “that costs too much,” or “that won’t benefit me,” said 12-year-old Adora Svitak during her recent TED talk. “For better or worse we kids aren’t hampered as much when it comes to thinking about reasons why not to do things. Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations and hopeful thinking, like my wish that no one went hungry or that everything were free.”



As 10/10/10 approaches, a day when kids and adults from around the world will join forces to do something productive about the world’s ills, we should keep Svitak’s premise in mind. It’s not that we need more analysis, structure or politics. What the world needs most is purpose, unbridled creativity, and especially hope.

“It’s been a tough year—but it can be a beautiful day on the 10th Of October if we work together, and play together,” says climate activist Bill McKibben. “If we do it right, then we’ll take a big step towards the kind of solutions we desperately need.”

To get your family involved this Sunday, please visit www.350.org.