How to Encourage Children to Ask Questions

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Allow curiosity.

   Adults often see the world through well-seasoned eyes, yet children are often seeing and experiencing things for the first time.
   
   This fills children with curiosity, wonder, and amazement.Children often ask questions out of curiosity and not as a way to be annoying.
   
   Encourage your child to ask questions and be curious by responding with things like "Wow! Great question — you must be a very curious boy!" and then answer.
   
   This helps the child see himself as a question-asker.
   
   See a child’s questions as an opportunity to engage with the child about something he is interested in.
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   Step 2: Let your child ask “why” questions.

   While this question often leads to frustration for adults, it’s often important for children to know why certain cause and effect relationships happen.
   
   For example, if you ask your child to do something, she may be curious as to why it’s important to do that task or behave in a certain way.
   
   Allow your child the space to ask why.It’s important for children to know why things happen, why they need to be safe, why learning is important.
   
   Remind yourself that gaining information is important to your child.
   
   Be okay with saying you don't know the answer.
   
   If your child asks you a question you can't answer, it's okay to say, "You know, I don't know!" Follow this up by encouraging your child to find the answer, or say "Let's find out together" so you can show your child what resources are available to answer her questions and how to use them. , If you get flustered or annoyed easily by your child’s questions, he may begin to think that you do not want to answer questions or that asking questions feels bad or is not okay.
   
   Focus on showing your child that questions matter by giving encouraging responses.
   
   This will encourage your child to ask questions freely and feel good about being curious.If your child asks a question during an inconvenient time, promise to look it up and answer the question later.
   
   Be sure to follow through later; set a reminder for yourself on your phone if you need to. , Model asking questions in order to support your child asking questions.
   
   If your child asks you a question, ask one back to your child.
   
   This can help the child think critically or find a creative response.
   
   Asking questions back can help foster better social, emotional, and cognitive development.Initiate questions with your child.
   
   Ask questions around specific activities.
   
   If you’re playing with trains, ask, “Why do we use trains? What do we use trains for? Where do trains go?” If your child asks, “Why is that kid crying?” say back, “What do you think happened to make that child sad?” You can follow that questions with, “What things make you feel sad?”
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   Step 3: Value your child’s questions.

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   Step 4: Pose questions to your child.

Detailed Guide

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