As a parent or caregiver, it is important to encourage children to think and learn by asking questions. One effective way to do this is by using “Wh-questions” – questions that begin with a word that starts with the letters “wh” such as “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how.” Asking these types of questions can help children develop their critical thinking skills and increase their understanding of the world around them.
To help guide your questioning, we have compiled a list of 149 Wh-questions for kids. These questions are appropriate for a variety of ages and can be used in many different settings, such as at home or in the classroom.
WHO
1. Who is your best friend?
2. Who is your favorite superhero?
3. Who is the oldest person you know?
4. Who is your role model?
5. Who makes you laugh the most?
WHAT
6. What is your favorite food?
7. What is your favorite toy?
8. What is your favorite book?
9. What is your favorite color?
10. What is your favorite game to play?
WHEN
11. When is your birthday?
12. When do you go to bed?
13. When do you wake up in the morning?
14. When did you last go on a vacation?
15. When did you first learn how to ride a bike?
WHERE
16. Where is your favorite place to play?
17. Where is the biggest park you have ever been to?
18. Where would you like to go on your next vacation?
19. Where do your grandparents live?
20. Where do you go to school?
WHY
21. Why do we have to wash our hands?
22. Why do we have to wear shoes outside?
23. Why do you have to go to bed early?
24. Why do some people have pets?
25. Why do we have to go to school?
HOW
26. How do birds fly?
27. How do you tie your shoes?
28. How do you ride a bike?
29. How do you bake a cake?
30. How do computers work?
WHO ELSE
31. Who else lives in your house?
32. Who else do you like to play with at school?
33. Who else do you admire?
34. Who else can ride a bike?
35. Who else in your family has a job?
WHAT ELSE
36. What else can you do besides play?
37. What else do you like to eat?
38. What else can you think of that starts with the letter “B”?
39. What else do you like to draw?
40. What else do people use computers for?
WHEN ELSE
41. When else do you have fun?
42. When else do you get to play outside?
43. When else does the sun shine?
44. When else do people go shopping?
45. When else do you see your grandparents?
WHERE ELSE
46. Where else can you go to play?
47. Where else do people go to eat besides restaurants?
48. Where else can you see animals besides the zoo?
49. Where else can you learn besides school?
50. Where else can you sleep besides your bed?
WHY ELSE
51. Why else is it important to eat healthy?
52. Why else do we have to go to the doctor?
53. Why else is it important to read?
54. Why else do we need trees?
55. Why else is it important to be kind to others?
HOW ELSE
56. How else can you stay healthy besides washing your hands?
57. How else can you make friends?
58. How else can you solve a problem?
59. How else can you create a piece of art?
60. How else can you communicate besides talking?
WHAT IF
61. What if you could fly like a bird?
62. What if you won a million dollars?
63. What if you could talk to animals?
64. What if you could live in any country in the world?
65. What if you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life?
HOW MANY
66. How many planets are in our solar system?
67. How many days are in a week?
68. How many fingers do you have?
69. How many letters are in the alphabet?
70. How many books have you read this year?
HOW MUCH
71. How much does a car cost?
72. How much does a house cost?
73. How much water should we drink every day?
74. How much does a plane ticket cost?
75. How much sugar is in your favorite dessert?
WHO WAS
76. Who was your teacher last year?
77. Who was the president before the current one?
78. Who was your first best friend?
79. Who was the first person to walk on the moon?
80. Who was your favorite singer when you were a baby?
WHAT DID
81. What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
82. What did you do yesterday after school?
83. What did you learn in school today?
84. What did you do the last time you were at the beach?
85. What did you get for Christmas last year?
WHEN DID
86. When did you learn how to swim?
87. When did you go to a sleepover for the first time?
88. When did you start liking your favorite food?
89. When did you start school?
90. When did your parents get married?
WHERE DID
91. Where did you go on your last vacation?
92. Where did you go for your last birthday party?
93. Where did your parents meet?
94. Where did you get your favorite toy?
95. Where did you go on your last field trip?
WHY DID
96. Why did the chicken cross the road?
97. Why did the dinosaurs become extinct?
98. Why did you pick out the outfit you’re wearing now?
99. Why did you choose your favorite hobby?
100. Why did your parents choose your name?
HOW DID
101. How did dogs become pets?
102. How did you learn how to read?
103. How did cavemen make fire?
104. How did you make your Mother’s Day card?
105. How did your family get your pet?
WHAT HAPPENED
106. What happened on your last birthday?
107. What happened when you lost your first tooth?
108. What happened when you learned how to ride a bike?
109. What happened when you went to the zoo for the first time?
110. What happened on your last family vacation?
WHO CAN
111. Who can run the fastest in your family?
112. Who can do the most pushups in your family?
113. Who can make the best pancakes in your family?
114. Who can speak the most languages in your family?
115. Who can sing the loudest in your family?
WHAT CAN
116. What can you do to help the environment?
117. What can you do to be a good friend?
118. What can you do to be healthy?
119. What can you do to make a person happy?
120. What can you do to save money?
WHEN CAN
121. When can you ride your bike without training wheels?
122. When can you stay up late on a school night?
123. When can you play outside without a coat on?
124. When can you go on a date?
125. When can you have a sleepover without a parent present?
WHERE CAN
126. Where can you buy candy besides the grocery store?
127. Where can you find your favorite book besides the library?
128. Where can you swim besides a pool?
129. Where can you learn a new language?
130. Where can you volunteer in your community?
WHY CAN’T
131. Why can’t we eat junk food for every meal?
132. Why can’t we be mean to others?
133. Why can’t we forget to brush our teeth?
134. Why can’t we watch TV for hours every day?
135. Why can’t we be late for school?
HOW COME
136. How come we have different seasons?
137. How come we have day and night?
138. How come some people have blue eyes and some have brown eyes?
139. How come we have to pay for things with money?
140. How come we have to sleep?
WHO WILL
141. Who will you be when you grow up?
142. Who will win the next sports game you watch?
143. Who will be in the next presidential election?
144. Who will be the next person to visit our house?
145. Who will you invite to your next birthday party?
WHAT WILL
146. What will you do in the future?
147. What will happen if it rains all summer?
148. What will you eat for dinner tonight?
149. What will happen if you don’t clean your room?
Incorporating Wh-questions into your conversations with your child or students can be a great way to encourage learning and critical thinking. These questions can be used in many different settings, from a conversation at the dinner table to a lesson plan in the classroom. Remember to provide opportunities for children to ask their own questions as well, and to provide thoughtful and patient answers to encourage their curiosity and learning.
