Interesting Questions to Ask Preschoolers

Preschoolers are at an age where they are actively developing their language skills. Beyond just saying individual words, they are starting to form sentences and tell stories. While their grammar and vocabulary may not be perfect, they are in a constant state of improving. You can help with this improvement by asking your preschooler interesting questions that stimulate him into thinking about how to express how he interacts with the world around him.

  1. Specific Questions

    • Ask your preschooler questions that prompt her to describe things. This makes her think a little more about the answer and also facilitates interaction between the two of you in discussion. Instead of "How was preschool?" you could ask, "What was your favorite toy at preschool today?" This will make your preschooler think more about her answer and challenge her use of vocabulary as she tries to describe her favorite toy. The conversation becomes more productive for both of you as your preschooler gets the opportunity to expand her speaking skills and you get the chance to become more involved in her life.

    Stories

    • Ask your preschooler a question that will lead to a story. Preschoolers love telling and listening to stories because there is safety in being able to tell a concrete narrative. There's also the added bonus of his vocabulary becoming expanded through the process of telling the story. If your preschooler is playing with a toy robot, you might ask him what the robot's name is and what he did yesterday. Preschoolers are creative in their storytelling. The child will probably tell you an in-depth story about the robot, his life and his relationship with his family members.

    Explaining Things

    • Another way preschoolers like to interact with the world is by explaining things in terms they can they understand. So, you could ask your preschooler why she thinks it rains, or how a car works. Instead of saying "I don't know," she'll likely give you a long explanation that, while it may not be realistic, will require the use of extensive vocabulary. And don't bother correcting her on the facts. There's no reason that a four-year-old needs to know how an internal combustion engine works or how precipitation causes rain to fall from the sky as long as she can attempt an explanation of it.

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