How to Encourage Children to Ask Better Questions
Educational and Fun Activities
Written by Daniel Taylor
2 May 2025
🕓14 min
From the moment children learn to speak, they start asking “Why?”—a small word that opens doors to big thinking. Questions are the foundation of learning. They show a child is curious, thinking independently, and actively trying to make sense of the world. But not all questions are equal. Some simply seek facts, while others probe, challenge, and spark new discoveries. The ability to ask better questions—deeper, more thoughtful, more curious ones—is a powerful skill that shapes how children learn, explore, and grow.
As educators and parents, our role is not just to answer children’s questions, but to nurture a culture where they are encouraged to ask—and refine—them. In this blog, we explore why this matters and how to foster better questioning in homes, classrooms, and enrichment environments like STEM clubs and science workshops.
1. Why Better Questions Lead to Better Learning
At the heart of all inquiry-based learning is the question. It’s what propels a scientific investigation, guides research, and drives discovery. A strong, open-ended question can lead children on a journey of exploration that teaches them how to gather evidence, evaluate information, and draw conclusions. These skills are the cornerstones of scientific thinking—and they apply to all subjects, from history to art. Children who learn to ask better questions grow into adults who can think critically, make informed decisions, and adapt to new situations. In an age of information overload, misinformation, and rapid change, the ability to ask good questions is a vital life skill.
Children who are confident questioners are more likely to:
- Think critically about what they’re told.
- Engage more deeply in classroom discussions.
- Solve problems creatively.
- Become self-directed learners.
Encouraging children to ask better questions helps them take ownership of their learning and see knowledge not as something handed down from adults, but something they can pursue and co-create.
2. The Difference Between Simple and Strong Questions
To help children ask better questions, we must help them understand the difference between simple and strong ones. Simple questions usually have one right answer and can often be answered with a quick search or “yes/no.” Examples include:
- “What is the capital of France?”
- “Is water a liquid?”
These are not bad questions—they build foundational knowledge—but they don’t stretch thinking.
Better, stronger questions are open-ended. They don’t have one correct answer, and they invite exploration, discussion, or experimentation. For example:
- “Why do people in different countries eat different foods?”
- “What would happen if gravity suddenly disappeared?”
- “How could we use science to clean polluted rivers?”
These types of questions push children to think beyond facts and into reasoning, creativity, and critical thinking. They challenge them to make connections and think like scientists, authors, or inventors. It supports academic success, builds emotional intelligence, and lays the foundation for innovation and leadership. Whether a child becomes a scientist, a teacher, an artist, or an entrepreneur, the seeds of that future can be found in the questions they’re asking now.
3. Creating a Culture of Curiosity at School and at Home
If we want children to ask better questions, we need to give them permission—and encouragement—to be curious. This means creating safe environments where their ideas are taken seriously and where mistakes are seen as part of the learning process.
At school, this could involve:
- Making time for question-based learning.
- Celebrating “big questions” with wall displays or journals.
- Using discussion prompts instead of lectures.
- Encouraging peer-to-peer questioning during group work.
At home, it might look like:
- Asking “What do you think?” before giving an answer.
- Turning everyday experiences (a walk, cooking, watching TV) into curiosity prompts.
- Having a “question of the day” at dinner time or bedtime.
When children see adults modeling curiosity—asking their own questions, admitting what they don’t know, and showing enthusiasm for learning—they learn that it’s not only okay to ask questions, it’s exciting.
4. Tools and Techniques to Help Children Ask Better Questions
Encouraging high-quality questioning isn’t about putting pressure on children—it’s about giving them the right tools. Here are some effective techniques:
Use Question Stems
Providing sentence starters can guide children to frame more thoughtful questions:
- “What would happen if...?”
- “Why do you think...?”
- “How could we find out...?”
- “What’s the difference between...?”
- “What are the pros and cons of...?”
Introduce Bloom’s Taxonomy
Even younger children can begin to understand levels of thinking. Help them move from remembering (“What is it?”) to evaluating (“Do you agree with this idea?”) and creating (“How would you solve this problem?”).
The Question Formulation Technique (QFT)
This is a structured activity where children generate questions from a prompt, then work as a group to sort, refine, and improve them. It teaches both questioning skills and collaboration.
Science Workshops and STEM Clubs
Hands-on learning environments are ideal for developing questioning skills. Activities that involve real-world problem-solving—like building a bridge, launching a rocket, or solving an engineering challenge—naturally lead to higher-order questioning. Children begin to ask:
- “Why didn’t this work?”
- “What could I do differently?”
- “How can I test this idea?”
This reinforces the idea that questions aren’t just a way to get answers—they’re part of the process of discovery.
5. Supporting Neurodiverse Learners and Different Communication Styles
Not all children express curiosity in the same way. Neurodiverse learners, children with speech delays, or those for whom English is an additional language may ask questions differently—or may seem quiet even when their minds are racing with ideas.
To support all learners:
- Provide visual supports or picture cards to help children express questions non-verbally.
- Allow wait time—children may need extra time to formulate and articulate a question.
- Use one-on-one or small group settings to build confidence in quieter students.
- Celebrate different kinds of questions: observational, experiential, reflective.
By recognising and validating all types of inquiry, we show children that their questions matter—regardless of how they are asked.
Conclusion
Helping children ask better questions isn’t about demanding more from them—it’s about opening more doors. A well-timed “What if?” or “How come?” can lead to a conversation, an experiment, or a discovery that stays with a child for years. Every question is a signal that a child is ready to learn, to explore, to think for themselves.
As educators, caregivers, and mentors, our job is to fuel that fire—not with perfect answers, but with encouragement, space to wonder, and opportunities to grow. Want to nurture question-asking in a fun, high-impact way? Our hands-on science workshops and clubs are designed to spark curiosity, boost confidence, and turn big questions into bigger learning.
Available across Croydon and South London for schools, families, and holiday clubs. Let’s build a future of fearless, curious learners—one question at a time.
