Benefits of Open-Ended Questions

“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers”. Voltaire

Open ended questions typically start with, “Who”, “What”, “Why”, “How” or “Tell me". Asking open ended questions won't lead to a simple yes or no response. This type of questioning will encourage your children to think creatively and help them develop problem solving and communication skills. Next time, when you engage in conversation with your children, give them control, encourage discussion, not short answers. Children who are taught to think critically at an early age through open-ended questions are better equipped to understand the world around them, and to face and solve problems in adulthood. Here are a few examples how to start open ended questions:

• What would happen if…
• Tell me about…
• Why do you think…
• How did you…
• Tell me about the time when…
• How can we solve this problem..
• What do you think will happen..

Here are just some of the benefits of open ended questioning:

• Children can express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions.
• Children have an opportunity to be creative.
• As a parent you provide a safe environment for learning because there are no “right” or “wrong” answers.
• Children have an opportunity to develop their communication skills.
• Children build self confidence.
• Open Ended Questions recall recent or past events which develop children’s short and long-term memory skills.

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