I know you've noticed how curious and inquisitve a 4 yr old can be. How come 8 yr olds are not nearly as inquisitive? How about high school kids? An interview conducted by the Harvard Business Review seeks to learn where the innovative spirit goes. Read the post here: Is it in the DNA?
My sons are mini inventors. Their imagination and memory is pretty funny to observe. They saw a trailer for Lord of The Rings and when I told them we are going to Europe on a eurail pass they jumped up and down and asked if that was close to Middle Earth.
I liked this info. my kids are always asking questions. One year my daughter drove her teacher nuts with all the questions now we make sure she gets a teacher that like kids who want to ask questions and learn more.