First Insights into Infants’ and Children's Aha-Experiences: A Parent Report Study

Previous research has revealed that aha-experiences improve learning and enhance motivation. Hence, knowledge about aha-experiences in children may enable educators to enhance learning experiences. The current study aims to provide a basic knowledge about aha-experiences in children, for example, at what age they appear and on which topics. To answer these questions, we collected parental reports from two different populations (a Norwegian sample and an international sample of English-speaking parents). A content analysis of more than 600 stories of children's aha-experiences yielded three main findings: (1) Parents reported that children have aha-experiences already as infants; (2) Children have aha-experiences on various topics related to action and cognition; (3) The focus of the aha-stories shifts from action to cognition with age. In addition to the main findings, there are indications that children's aha-experiences share qualities with aha-experiences in adults. Our findings provide first insights into aha-experiences in infancy and childhood and may have implications for understanding what motivates children's learning and cognitive development.