How to Cultivate a Sense of Awe in Children

What the broader evidence cannot yet establish

A 2024 systematic review mapped 57 peer-reviewed awe studies. Most research involved adults, used cross-sectional designs or created awe through videos and images. The review identified associations with wellbeing, prosocial intentions and environmental concern, but also called for longitudinal and culturally diverse research.

This means it is reasonable to invite awe as one enriching part of family life. It is not evidence-based to promise that awe activities will prevent anxiety, build confidence, improve school performance or make a child more moral. Awe is an experience, not a treatment or parenting test.

Begin with the child’s interests

Ask what has recently made the child stop, look closer or ask a question. One child may be fascinated by insects, another by machines, family stories, dance, mathematics, weather or the night sky. Follow their attention before proposing a new activity.

• Notice: “You stayed with that for a long time. What caught your attention?”
• Wonder: “What do you think might be happening?”
• Make room for uncertainty: “We do not know yet. How could we find out?”
• Allow different responses: a child may want to talk, move, draw, photograph, research or simply observe.

Avoid turning the moment into a quiz or supplying a lesson too quickly. Accurate information can deepen wonder, but children also need time to form their own questions.

Low-cost ways to invite awe

Look closely at nearby nature

Watch clouds change, inspect a leaf, follow an ant trail, notice bird calls or compare the moon across several nights. A balcony, footpath, garden or window can be enough. Follow local safety guidance and respect Country, wildlife and protected places.

Use art, music and stories

Listen to a piece of music with unexpected changes, visit a free gallery, study a building, watch a skilled performance or explore stories from the family’s culture. Ask what the child noticed rather than telling them what they should feel.

Explore scale, time and complexity

Maps, fossils, family histories, microscopic images, space photographs, engineering and slow-motion videos can reveal things too large, old, small or fast to see easily. Digital media can support awe when the content and interaction are appropriate. Total screen minutes alone do not describe the quality of the experience.

Notice human skill and care

Awe can arise from observing cooperation, craft, courage or knowledge, not only from nature. Children might watch a community performance, learn how a bridge was built or speak with an older relative about a difficult task.

Our guides to supporting children to pursue meaningful goals, empowering young people and raising grateful young people explore related themes without treating them as guaranteed outcomes of awe.

Make awe accessible and emotionally safe

Vast or unfamiliar experiences can be exciting for one child and overwhelming for another. Crowds, darkness, heights, loud music, natural-disaster images or immersive technology may bring fear, sensory overload or traumatic reminders. Never require a child to continue because an activity is meant to be inspiring.

• preview the location, sounds, lighting and duration
• offer a quieter, smaller or home-based version
• allow headphones, movement, communication aids and breaks
• give the child a clear way to stop or leave
• avoid frightening footage and explain safety when discussing natural events
• choose culturally respectful sources and acknowledge whose knowledge and Country are involved.

A simple family practice

1. Choose one ordinary thing to notice for five minutes.
2. Let each person share, draw or photograph one detail, with opting out allowed.
3. Ask one genuine question that no one has to answer immediately.
4. Decide together whether to revisit, research or leave the experience as it is.

The aim is shared attention, not a dramatic reaction. If the child is uninterested, move on without judgement.

Key points for parents

• Awe involves perceived vastness and a need to revise what we understand.
• Child research shows immediate effects in controlled studies, not guaranteed long-term benefits.
• Everyday, low-cost experiences can be meaningful.
• Follow the child’s interests and accept different emotional or sensory responses.
• Awe can enrich family life, but it is not psychological treatment.

This article provides general educational information and does not replace individual psychological, developmental or medical advice.