Meaning:

If you are curious about something, you are interested in it and want to know more about it.

(Collins Dictionary)

Why is this important?

Curiosity helps children be more observant, to think about things and try to figure them out. When children explore their curiosity, they expand their vocabulary as they use language to describe what they're thinking, seeing, hearing, or experiencing. 

When learning to be curious, children also learn to:

• be inquisitive
• take risks
• be brave
• be courageous
• ask questions
• be open-minded

Meaning:

Your imagination is the ability that you have to form pictures or ideas in your mind of things that are new and exciting, or things that you have not experienced yet.

(Collins Dictionary)

Why is this important?

Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Imagination is the door to possibilities and if we use our imagination, it can take us anywhere. It is where creativity, ingenuity, and thinking outside the box begin for child development.

Imaginative and creative play is how children learn about the world. It develops social skills, builds self-confidence, boosts intellectual growth, practice language skills and also helps us to work out our worries and fears. 

Imagination influences everything we do. 

When learning to be imaginative, children also learn to:

• be creative
• be thoughtful
• be reflective 
• dream big
• be ambitious for their future

Meaning:

If you cooperate with someone, you work with them or help them for a particular purpose. You can also say that two people cooperate.

(Collins Dictionary)

Why is this important?

Cooperation is a skill that must be learned. Learning to cooperate means that a person can think about and balance their own needs and wants with another person’s needs and wants. We can teach this important skill through turn taking and problem solving as well as through social situations. It supports children with their social awareness and prepares them for life within the wider world. 

When learning to be cooperative, children also learn to:

• include others
• work as a team
• listen to different opinions and views
• compromise
• share
• be appreciative
• be encouraging towards others
• take turns 

Meaning:

Perseverance is the quality of continuing with something even though it is difficult.

(Collins Dictionary)

Why is this important?

Perseverance is a skill that we all need if we are to get through life’s difficulties. When things do not go quite as we planned, there are times we need to pick ourselves up off the floor and give it another go. Children need to learn resilience to face challenges from an early age, so they believe they can cope with situations when things do not go their way. They need to feel the discomfort of the current situation to attain a positive outcome that will give them the motivation they need to achieve more. 

When learning to persevere, children also learn to:

• be resilient
• be determined 
• be dedicated 
• be strong minded and willing to try
• increase stamina

Meaning:

A person or thing that improves.

(Collins Dictionary)

Why is this important?

Being an improver of something is highly satisfying and is dependant on our level of motivation. The more children feel good at a task or activity, the more likely they are to enjoy it and want to improve. Children all learn differently and some need more motivation to improve than others. This links very well to 'Growth Mindset'. To teach the children to improve, we praise efforts not outcomes. Having a growth mindset, allows the children to know that they can get better with practice. 

When learning to improve, children also learn to:

• think positively
• have a growth mindset
• be reflective
• motivate themselves by good feelings
• recover from failure
• sustain effort

Meaning:

Of people attempting (arduous or dangerous) tasks: brave or spirited.

(Collins Dictionary)

Why is this important?

To teach children to 'have a go' is important to their development and growth. Fear is a typical response to new challenges or experiences. These situations make children feel uncertain, vulnerable, powerless, and anxious. They strip away a child’s sense of security and control. As a result, many children avoid the unfamiliar. They prefer NOT to risk attempting something new, leading to missed opportunities, and setting a negative pattern that can persist into adult life.

When learning to 'have a go', children also learn to:

• be brave
• take risks 
• seek new challenges
• take a chance
• find their strengths
• improve self-confidence
• build self-esteem

Meaning:

Concentrating on something means giving all your attention to it. 

(Collins Dictionary)

Why is this important?

Concentration is like a muscle that requires regular exercise to strengthen. Everyone can learn strategies to improve their ability to focus and sustain attention. Most children are able to concentrate on activities that are fun and intrinsically enjoyable. It is the ones that are more boring, difficult or just less enjoyable that really challenge their focus. Yet this ability to concentrate and sustain attention on all kinds of tasks is crucially important, because it helps children learn and improve, which leads to self-confidence and positive self-esteem.

Concentration is a lot like mindfulness, the ability to pay attention to one thing in the moment, and it has been shown to have innumerable mental health benefits, from increased happiness and stress management to improved academic and test performance. For mindfulness to work, you have to focus.

When learning to concentrate, children also learn to:

• be focussed
• achieve their goals/purpose
• give attention to a task
• pay attention to detail
• be a good listener
• improve memory
• ignore meaningless thoughts

Meaning:

If you feel proud, you feel pleased about something good that you possess or have done, or about something good that a person close to you has done. 

(Collins Dictionary)

Why is this important?

Being happy with yourself allows you to establish healthier, more satisfying relationships with other people. When you are proud of yourself, you do not need others to feel proud as well. This way, you do not rely on external approval. That leaves you free to choose your path and not sacrifice your needs and desires to please others.

If you feel proud of yourself, it motivates you to persevere, even when you know you will face challenges. 

With growth mindset as a focus, it is important to feel proud of the effort, rather than the outcome. 

When learning to feel pride/ be proud, children also learn to:

• be motivated
• be pleased with their efforts
• appreciative
• satisfied
• persevere
• have an ability to bounce back
• feel fulfilled