"One of the reasons why children are often wise is that they have so much natural humility, which is the capacity to absorb things without having to relate to them critically.
This may be considered a requirement for creativity of all kinds, artistic and scientific.
Among modern physicists, the period of youth is usually known to be the time of innovation and creativity, while the later years are devoted to elaboration and teaching of the original inspirations."
From Pebbles of Wisdom from Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (forthcoming)