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Open ended questions cannot be responded to with one word answers such as yes or no. These types of questions enables a child to provide a more detailed response and encourages a child to stimulate their thinking and develop their language skills. Open ended questions supports a child to focus and make meaning of their experiences and enables them to see various possibilities. Benefits of Open Ended QuestionsWhile engaging in conversation and you ask a child open ended questions, it shows that you are interested about what they are doing. Open ended questions encourages a child to:
How to Ask Open Ended QuestionsDuring the day, it’s important that we ask questions to children, about their activities and every day encounters. Using open ended questions, can help a child to grow as they begin to think about how they approach, plan, carry and extend upon their own ideas. To encourage a child to think about their learning and to develop their language skills, the following open ended questions can be asked:
While answering open ended question a child needs to have a particular level of verbal skills. This is because open ended questions have a variety of different possible responses. You don’t know what the response is going to be. A child would more eagerly answer if they are able to effectively communicate and know a range of vocabulary. Questions to Challenge ThinkingChallenging children to think by asking thought provoking open ended questions can expand and enrich a child’s cognitive, creative and language development. Open ended questions that challenge thinking include: Making Predictions – What do you will happen... Extend on Thinking – What would happen if there were... Consider Consequences – What would happen if you jumped and I wasn’t there to catch you? Assess feelings – How would you feel if that happened to you? How do you think ... feels? Similarities and Differences – How are these the same? What makes these go together? What make these different? Solving problems – What could you do to... Evaluate – What made you decide... Using Open Ended Questions With BooksThe best way to begin getting into a habit of asking open ended questions is starting off with asking questions on a book. It will be interesting to hear what a child thinks that the story may be about and it will be a great insight into what a child’s thinking and creativity is. Here are some ideas on what types of open ended questions to ask during the story.
Using open ended questions while reading books provides an opportunity for a child to express their ideas and opinions and share their reasoning and thought process. Tips and Strategies For Using Open Ended QuestionsCombine Closed Ended and Open Ended Questions together – to begin you can use closed ended questions at the beginning of the conversation and then use open ended questions to expand the child’s language, thoughts and ideas. For e.g. “Have you been to the circus” (closed) “What happened when you were there”(open). “What did you like watching at the circus” (open). Use encouraging words – when asking open ended questions try to avoid questions such as “who” e.g. “who knows how to draw a lion” rather rephrase this to “What are some ways that a lion can be drawn”. Encouraging phrases enable children to collaborate and learn from each other. Don’t expect a specific answer – with the questions you ask try and not to expect the “right” answer. For e.g. “What colour is the sky” if a child was to answer “orange” don’t dismiss it because they didn’t say blue. Continue questioning “Why do you say that” child can respond “When the sunsets in the evening”. If you begin asking questions for specific answers, children will be able to tell that you’re not interested in their thoughts, ideas and opinions and will become less engaged. Give a child time – a child may need to get familiar with these types of questions and require time to answer these in more complex ways. Practice – use open ended questions as part of your practices. Obtain a list of generic open ended questions that you can see during your interaction with children as a reminder of what questions to ask. Open ended questions provide children with a sense of belonging and supports and develops relationships. It shows a child that we are eager to hear their ideas, enable them to think for themselves and contribute to their own learning. Reference:
Having conversations with your toddler teaches them about language, empathy, and shows them that it’s important to be curious! And, very importantly, when we model how to be attentive listeners, kids learn respectful communication…and that we listen when someone else is talking and we wait our turn to speak. Why It’s So Important to Ask Your Toddler QuestionsAsking questions helps you get to know and understand your toddler better. It also gives you a way to lavish your child with the gift of your time and attention, which helps boost your tot’s cooperation. I call this feeding the meter. When you ask your toddler questions, you make them feel like winners. It shows that you are interested in their opinions, that their thoughts are respected. This sets their expectations for the way they want to be treated in relationships with others. Toddler Conversation-StartersRead together.Books are a great conversation-starter! Reading is a way to feed a toddler’s brain and it’s a sweet opportunity to snuggle close and make your relationship even stronger. The questions you ask about books will vary based on your tot’s age.
Try bedtime sweet talk.As part of your bedtime routine, make time to ask your toddler about their favorite parts of the day and about what they’re most looking forward to tomorrow. In the moments right before dozing off, your toddler’s mind is a little sponge, soaking up your words. Asking questions that make your tot think about all of the best parts of the day help them drift off to sleep feeling smart and loved! Thoughtful Questions to Ask Your Toddler:
Fun questions to ask your toddler:
Remember, it’s hard to be a toddler! Toddlers are at a big disadvantage compared to grownups…they’re smaller, weaker, and have less power than the adults around them. They spend a lot of the day losing! By asking your toddler questions—and showing that you care about their answers—you help them feel super smart! About Dr. Harvey KarpDr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums. View more posts tagged, behavior & development Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Connect with us at . |