National Geographic Explorer Erika Bergman remembers running her hand over a line of plants while jogging along a Hawaiian riverbed. Like magic, the plants closed at the then 12-year-old’s touch. "I remember feeling both powerful and completely tiny at the same time,” she says. “That's the feeling I still experience and strive for when I’m piloting submarines.”

The thrill of her kid-size explorations are a big part of what led to a career as a submarine pilot and engineer. And whether your kids dream of discovering the world or just their own backyards, they can get big benefits from exploring, too.

In fact, plenty of Explorers found their passion when they were children. Several have even been featured in the Nat Geo