Children are naturally curious and explore without preconceived ideas about how things "should" be. A child whose curiosity is supported has a clear path to learning, and parents' reactions decide whether a child learns easily or shuts down. Around three or four, children ask endless questions (why the sky is blue, why fire burns, whether God has eyes). By about five, their attitude toward learning is largely set by how parents responded.
How curiosity gets shut down. Sadly, many children have learned "not to learn" by five. Jorgito turns his toy car upside down and his mother immediately flips it back and tells him that's not how cars go; he bangs a spoon and she takes it away. Corrected again and again, he learns that trying something new brings disapproval and stops exploring. If an exploration is dangerous, parents should explain why; if it's harmless, let the child try it, even if it seems pointless to an adult.
Tired parents often brush off questions ("Go play outside," "Be quiet, I'm watching my show"). A child approved of only when quiet and passive learns to abandon curiosity. Doing things for children because it's faster (tying their shoes, washing their hands so sleeves don't get wet) sends the message "you can't," which erodes confidence until the child stops trying new things.
Parents should keep the desire to learn alive. Every child should know that asking and experimenting are worthwhile, and shouldn't feel inferior for wanting to know or for making mistakes along the way.