Humans have a long childhood in comparison to all other species. Across disciplines, researchers agree that humans’ prolonged immaturity is integral to our unique intelligence. My research program investigates how exploration and curiosity throughout childhood leads to greater intelligence. The first line of work I will present shows that children explore more than adults do, even when they know and prefer the option that is the best. The second line of work I will present looks at the potential payoff of high levels of exploration during childhood. My colleagues and I found that high levels of exploration during childhood leads children to notice information that adults miss. My work illustrates that while exploration may be costly in the short term, it leads to a more flexible understanding of the world in the long term, particularly when that world is subtly changing. I will also talk about forthcoming projects and the future directions of my research.