When babies are born they already know many important and surprising things about objects, people and language. Babies also easily and naturally solve new problems that are far beyond the abilities of the most powerful computers. They think, make predictions, look for explanations and even do experiments. As adults we have the capacity to do science because we were once babies. We have this curiosity that in children is called play.
Scientists just have bigger and more expensive toys.
It's not that children are little scientists but that scientists are big children. Playing Mozart in the crib or showing a baby flashcards is no substitute for a parent talking, playing, making faces and just paying attention to a baby. It is necessary to realize the child-rearing environment in the country has changed radically and that new strategies and support for infant and preschool care must be devised. Our book argues that human beings were designed by evolution to both learn and teach.