Early Learning

Q is for Questions: Why We Need to Help Kids Ask Questions

Since they ask more than 300 questions a day, why do we need to help kids ask questions? Asking questions is the first part to figuring things out. In the words of Thomas Berger, “The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” For kids to know, they need to question.

help kids ask questions

We might think kids ask questions just to drive parents and educators crazy. Recently, a mom posted the following conversation on FB between herself and her 3-year old son.

Son (pointing): Mom, what’s that?
Mom: What? Do you mean the lamp?
Son: Ya.
Mom: It’s a lamp.
Son: Why?

We can imagine a few replies to that. And several parents responded to this post with bizarre questions they’d been asked. They maybe weren’t as funny at the time, but later certainly hilarious to read.

help kids ask questions

Asking questions isn’t a simple process. In any language, there’s the order of words, a change of voice, and specific words. Maybe kids ask why so much because it works for so many different questions. How, when, where, and what make quite a list to remember. Knowing which one to use is another challenge in early learning and development.

help kids ask questions

Kids need to hear us asking questions so they have a model to copy. Books and stories often have questions too, such as the fun book “Why?” by Richard Torrey. “Why do feet stink? Why do crackers have holes?” This book is full of great questions. Some of them you may have wondered about too. The book “Because” by the same author is just as much fun.

help kids ask questions

For kids to be able to ask questions they not only need to wonder, but they also have to trust somebody will answer. What sounds like a silly question might instead be, “Am I important enough to answer?” We could almost reply in a different language and the child would still feel satisfied because an answer to the unasked question means, “Yes, you are important enough.

help kids ask questions

To answer 300 questions a day, let alone help kids ask questions takes resolve. That’s why this post is included in the series of New Year’s resolutions. Check previous and following posts for the rest of the letters of the alphabet. In the meantime, do you have any questions?

 

New Year’s Resolution: PATTERNS Grow Thinking

Whether you do this resolution for just a few days or longer, patterns grow thinking. When we either look for patterns or make them, brains get a workout. Sometimes, bodies too.

patterning skills

Patterns can be pictures, sounds, words or other information that repeat in the same order. Songs each have a unique pattern. Every language will have particular ones too. Patterns can also be found in nature. This is a simple one: black/white, black/white.

patterns grow thinking

Do you remember how exciting it was as a child to discover a shortcut? Actually, as adults it’s still a great feeling to find one. Well, that happens when the brain finds a pattern. A pattern is like a short-cut to figuring out information. Suddenly, instead of having to loop around, up, down, in and out, the brain hops onto the pattern-shortcut and can skip to the end.

Following, is part of some play time with train blocks. Little Sister and I have fun with patterns. The pattern makes the job easier. Being able to notice, figure out and make patterns is a powerful thinking strategy for kindergarten readiness and beyond.

making patterns with transportation toysWhen a 3-year old was playing trains, I lined up a few cars in a simple pattern: red-blue, red-blue. I said each color and pointed to the cars. I spoke to the train cars and told them they were making a pattern, first red then blue, then red and blue again. Then  I asked the child what color would come next and together we figured out a red one. The child was able to say blue would come after that but then playing changed to putting blocks on the cars.

Noticing and making patterns are skills that grow from experience and practice. One of children’s earliest experiences with patterns is learning how to crawl. First one hand and knee move, and then the others, over and over. Faces have a pattern, with two eyes on top and a nose in the middle. Parents and caregivers find life a lot easier when babies settle into a pattern of day and night.

Kids are able to accurately say what comes next in a pattern string before they create their own patterns. Some ways to include patterns in a day could be walking along in a pattern, such as walk, walk, walk, walk, jump. Discover patterns on clothes when helping kids get dressed; a shirt may have stripes in the same order. Find patterns inside on walls and floors. Look for some in nature too. Make a pattern at snack time on a plate and eat it up; slice of banana/slice of strawberry, slice of banana/slice of strawberry. Read a book with parts of the story repeated, like The Gingerbread Man. Talk a pattern outloud. For instance, when setting the table say plate/bowl/spoon, plate/bowl/spoon. You can get mixed up and say fork. Kids love to correct grownup mistakes.

math patterns

Patterns grow thinking in other ways too. Sing lots of songs. The Wheels on the Bus has a different character or part of the bus each time but the same pattern. Make patterns when playing with toys. Color some with art tools. Together, you’ll be able to notice and make other patterns.

math and art for kids

Patterns grow thinking strategies and skills. Just in case you think they are not important, stock traders invest time and money into predicting trends and businesses investigate patterns constantly. Patterns are powerful; can you and your child play with some today?

 

 

New Year’s Resolution Word #12: Kids LAUGHING Means Learning

A great new year’s resolution is to include more laughter; for kids laughing means learning. There are benefits for mind, body, and heart for all of us.

gratitude for kids

There are aspects of laughter that we are born with as part of our personalities, but a sense of humor is something that we develop. Besides needing a funny bone, we also need some specific brain connections.

In any situation, to find it humorous, the brain needs to recognize that something is unexpected or unintended. An ordinary action isn’t followed by a usual or predictable result. Very quickly, the brain has to decide if it’s hurtful or scary, or just unusual. The next step is figuring out how to react, like laughing or ducking for cover, squealing with delight or simply smiling. Getting all those steps coordinated is complicated. We can easily understand why kids often get the punch lines to jokes mixed up, find things funny that adults don’t, or don’t ‘get’ a joke. There’s a great deal to figure out. Humor builds on experiences.

Humor has a social context and gets passed along. Often, when one person laughs so will others. Sharing something humorous creates a link or bond between people. Kids laughing means learning and also connecting.

A few ways to include laughter in a day are to share jokes. Knock, knock jokes are fun and can go on and on. Making silly faces can happen almost anytime. Read some funny stories, or share any book and imagine a different outcome. Do something unexpected, like answering a banana when the phone rings or eating cereal with a baby spoon or putting on glasses upside down.

kids laughter means learning

The number of times in a day children laugh is sometimes stated as 300-400 times. Even for those who find this to be great exaggerated, kids do laugh more often than adults. Did you know as grownups we only laugh 17.5 times a day? What’s happened to our sense of humor? Can you include more fun and laughter in each day?

 

 

Resolution Words for the New Year #4 – Kids Learn and Play with DANCE

New Year’s Resolutions aren’t typically for fun, but this resolution word and play of-the-day certainly is; kids learn and play with DANCE. This is an earlier post to inspire some dancing fun. May I Have This Dance? One of the easiest music activities with kids is to put on some music and dance around. From … Continue reading Resolution Words for the New Year #4 – Kids Learn and Play with DANCE

Resolution Words for New Year’s #3 – Helping Kids Develop CREATIVITY

Children and creativity seem to be linked almost from Day One, but helping kids develop creativity is becoming more and more important and even necessary. At its highest level, industry is recognizing and recruiting creativity. One of the champions, Sir Ken Robinson speaks about it all over the world. “Creativity has become the new literacy.” Creativity … Continue reading Resolution Words for New Year’s #3 – Helping Kids Develop CREATIVITY

Resolution Words for the New Year #2 – Raising Kids Takes BALANCE

Raising kids takes balance. So does teaching them. Today’s resolution word is balance and the post will be both kids’ balance activities and thoughts on balance. In a day, parents, teachers, and caregivers balance an enormous amount of various factors. We want kids to learn to manage risk, but we want them to be safe … Continue reading Resolution Words for the New Year #2 – Raising Kids Takes BALANCE

Dragon Categorizing Activities with “Dragons Love Tacos”

The books Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin and Not Your Typical Dragon by Dan Bar-el helped us with some dragon categorizing activities and food fun. These stories both really appealed to the kids and sparked some play ideas. (pun intended) In Dragons Love Tacos, the dragons gobble up tacos but they hate salsa. All … Continue reading Dragon Categorizing Activities with “Dragons Love Tacos”

Highlights of the Olympics #18 – Kids and Goal Setting

The Olympics may be over but some athletes have already mentioned the goal of being there next time. Kids and goal setting is a great topic for us. Have you ever wondered if kids set goals, if preschoolers are too young for goal setting? Young children and babies are very goal oriented. We might not … Continue reading Highlights of the Olympics #18 – Kids and Goal Setting

Space Activities #18: Aliens Help Kids Learn Body Parts

For today’s space activity, aliens help kids learn body parts. Knowing the names of parts of the body is really important for kids’ health and safety. To create an alien, kids can use items and ways that appeal to them. Some might like to color or paint space creatures. A search in the recycling basket … Continue reading Space Activities #18: Aliens Help Kids Learn Body Parts