Helping Your Child Learn to Ask and Answer Questions

Being able to understand questions and ask questions is an essential part of language development. Questions lay the foundadtion for children to participate in conversations, demonstrate thier knowledge, and gather information.

Below you will find some tips on how you can help your child to understand AND answer questions as well as how to ask questions in order to gain information.

It is important for the parent/caregiver to understand basic age guidelines for both asking and answering questions so you can guide your own expectations. If your child has a language delay these age guidelines will be lower depending on the severity of the language impairment.

Ages for Understanding / Answering Questions:

1-2 years: understands "Whats this?" and simple "Yes/ No"

2-3 years: understands "what doing?" (what are you doing?)
understands simple "Who" (who's that?), "Where" (Where is Mommy?)
understands simple "What" (function)

3-4 years: understands simple "How", "Why", and "What.....if", "How many?" and "Which"

4-5 years: understands "When?"

5-6 years: Will understand most questions but still struggle with more complex or abstract questions.

If you include your child in your conversations you will provide a good role model for your child in regards to asking and answering questions.

Tips for Helping Your Child Answer Questions:

1. Allow time for thinking and responding.
2. Make sure you have your child's attention before asking questions
3. Include your child in your conversations
4. Model the correct answer when needed.
5. Ask questions while reading to your child.
6. Ask questions about your child's day

Age Guidelines for Asking Questions:

2 years : yes/no and "what"
3 years: "where" and "who"
4-5 years: "why" and "how"
5-6 years: "when"

Tips for helping your child ask questions:

1. Be patient if your child is struggling to put thoughts into words.
2. Model correct word order when your child's word order is not correct.
3. Think out loud in question format.

Remember: The mastery of asking and answering questions is invaluable to the early learner!