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Children between the ages of two and five quite literally bombard adults with questions!
These questions are the true beginnings of future research and inquiry.
A question is a genuine leap from the known into the unknown –and children bravely make this leap many times throughout the day.
Adults, however, often lose this courage, and either stop noticing questions or become afraid of asking them.
Children are remarkably competent questioners. As they grow older, they:
Asking questions is easy; finding answers is much harder
In fact, the ability to ask a question is already a complex intellectual task.
In order to ask a question, a child must:
A question is the first – and very important – step towards understanding.
Questioning is only characteristic of the preschool “why?” stage and is no longer important later on
In fact, the ability to ask questions is a lifelong skill.
Research shows that it is closely connected with:
The preschool years are a period when this ability develops especially actively, and it is important to preserve and support it afterwards.
Children already ask plenty of questions, so there is no need to support questioning
In fact, children do ask many questions, but without adult support the number of questions gradually decreases.
The way adults respond influences:
Adult support helps transform isolated questions into the development of thinking.
This is not simply a children’s habit.
It is a foundation for critically important abilities needed both at school and in adult life. By supporting children’s questioning, we can simultaneously influence many different aspects of their development. The “threads” leading from questioning connect to:
By supporting children’s questioning, we are therefore “investing” in mental flexibility and in the ability to navigate a changing world.
This list may help you “tune your ear”:
Sometimes it is helpful simply to observe a child. Try asking yourself a few questions.
Does the child ask questions:
In what situations does the child ask questions most often?
What kinds of questions appear most often?
What happens afterwards?
Do not rush to give answers
When a child asks a question, adults often feel obliged to answer immediately –after all, they are the knowledgeable and experienced adult.
It is important for the child to feel the adult’s confidence and support. But here it is equally important to find a balance: many questions can be explored by the child independently, with a little support from an adult, through thinking together, or by turning together to books and websites (especially since children’s questions often go beyond the knowledge of the adult nearby).
Return the question to the child
“What ideas do you have?” “Why do you think that?” “How could we check it?”
This helps develop the ability to formulate hypotheses, identify cause-and-effect relationships, and gain confidence in one’s own reasoning.
Show genuine interest in the question
Even when you are tired, busy, or in a hurry, let the child feel that their questions matter:
“That’s an interesting question –I’ll think about it too!”
Turn the question into a conversation
If a child asks, “Why is it raining?”, you might respond with:
“What do you think –where does the water in clouds come from?”
In this way, a child’s question can grow into an engaging and meaningful conversation.
Show that it is normal not to know something
Do not be afraid to say:
“I don’t know. Let’s try to work it out together.”
We genuinely do not always know the answers to children’s questions. But we can support children’s agency and their position as researchers.
The good news is: in almost any situation!
There is no need to set aside special lesson time – children ask questions all the time.
When a child asks questions, adults can engage in the conversation in different ways. Sometimes a short answer is enough, while at other times the conversation turns into a small shared investigation.
We can roughly distinguish several levels of support.
1. Acknowledging the Question
This shows the child that their thought matters.
2. A Short Answer
The adult answers the child’s question briefly and directly.
Example
Child: “Why does it rain?” Adult: “Because water collects in the clouds and falls to the ground.”
This is important too: the child receives information and sees that their question is taken seriously.
3. An Answer with a Little Explanation
The adult not only answers but also adds some context.
Example
“Rain begins when there are lots of tiny drops of water in the clouds. They join together and become heavy.”
Such answers help the child understand connections between phenomena more deeply.
4. A Conversation Around the Question
(An Invitation to Think Together)
You begin discussing the question together with the child.
For example:
“That’s an interesting question. Why do you think it rains?”
These questions help the child formulate their own hypotheses and ideas.
Sometimes children come up with unexpected thoughts, and the conversation becomes a genuine experience of shared thinking.
5. Searching for the Answer Together
The adult shows the child that answers can be explored together.
For example:
You might say:
The child begins to understand that answers can be searched for collaboratively.
6. Supporting New Questions
Sometimes one answer leads to new questions.
The adult does not rush to end the conversation.
For example:
“What else would you like to know about rain?”
In this way, the child begins to feel that their questions genuinely matter.
Supporting children’s questions does not mean that adults must:
Sometimes it is enough simply to:
For the child, this sends an important message: their curiosity matters.
Most often, adults do this unintentionally – simply because they are tired or in a hurry.
But the child receives the message: it is better not to ask any more questions.
1. Dismissing the Question
2. Cutting the Conversation Short
3. Answering Too Quickly
Sometimes adults immediately give a short explanation and close the conversation.
Child: “Why does it rain?” Adult: “That’s just how nature works.”
And the conversation ends there.
Will paying constant attention to a child’s questions spoil them?
It is not necessary to answer every question in detail. What matters is that the child feels their question has been noticed and taken seriously.
Sometimes it is enough to offer:
This will not spoil the child. On the contrary, research shows that attention to children’s questions:
The child does not become “dependent on attention”; rather, they learn that thinking and asking questions matter
What if a child asks too many questions? Is that normal?
Yes, it is completely normal.
Preschool children may ask dozens of questions a day, and sometimes many questions within a short period of time. This is not “chatter” – it is a way of learning.
When a child asks questions, they are:
A large number of questions is a sign of active thinking.
What if the questions are very strange or silly?
For example: “Can you eat a cloud?” or “Why don’t cats have wings?”
These questions are extremely valuable.
They often contain:
There is no need to rush to correct the child. Instead, the conversation can be supported:
Questions are a child’s way of making sense of the world.
What should I do if I do not know the answer?
It is completely normal not to know.
You can honestly say:
And then together:
In this way, the child learns that knowledge is not simply a ready-made answer, but a process of exploration.
What if a child hardly asks any questions? Is that a reason to worry?
Not always.
Children express curiosity in different ways:
However, it is worth paying attention if a child:
In such cases, it may help gently to support the child by:
Questions are only one way in which interest can be expressed.
Why does a child ask many questions at home but hardly any at nursery or preschool?
This is quite a common situation.
At home, the child:
In a classroom setting, things may be different:
Questions appear where there is a feeling that someone will truly listen.
That is why it is important:
Children’s questions are not simply words. They are a way for the child to:
And sometimes a very small response from an adult is enough for this process to continue.
