[ballenf]

Not all hard work has the immediate payoff of your example. There are plateaus in early learning where the payoff is impossible to see and one most proceed on almost blind faith that the task is worthwhile. Or because someone else is making you do it.

Praise from a parent, mentor or teacher regarding the effort put forth in those moments can prevent the learner from giving up.

But I do agree that kids (or even adults sometimes) need help recognizing the mind-blowing wonder of nature and natural phenomenon around them. I like to take the approach of asking my kids why they think animals are doing what they're doing or why the water is rough in some spots but not others, etc. They get more praise for a more thoughtful or logical answers (effort) without regard for accuracy (outcome).