And why does it matter?
From endless “whys” to wonderful discoveries, here's what research tells us about children's curiosity, and simple ways to encourage it.
Somewhere around the thirtieth "why?" of the day, most of us run out of answers. And patience.
Why is the sky blue? Why do cats purr? Why can't I have another lolly?
It's exhausting. But behind those endless questions is a skill worth encouraging: curiosity.
The good news? You don't need to know everything, turn every question into a lesson or have the energy for a lengthy explanation.
Sometimes, a simple "Hmm, what do you think?" is a good place to start.
Here's what research tells us about children's curiosity, and a few small things parents, teachers and caregivers can try.
Why does curiosity matter?
Curiosity is that desire to know more. It's what makes children ask questions, explore unfamiliar things and wonder what might happen next.
And it's closely connected to learning.
A 2018 US study involving around 6,200 children found that those rated as more curious tended to perform better in reading and maths during their first year of school.
Interestingly, the relationship was stronger among children from less advantaged backgrounds (Shah et al., 2018).
That doesn't mean curiosity caused better results. Other factors could be involved. But it suggests curiosity deserves attention alongside more traditional learning skills.
And there's encouraging evidence that curiosity can be nurtured.
A review of 41 experiments involving almost 4,500 adults and children found that activities designed to encourage curiosity produced moderate improvements, on average (Schutte & Malouff, 2023).
So while some children may naturally ask more questions than others, curiosity isn't necessarily fixed.
And helping it along doesn't require an elaborate learning plan.
Turn the question into a conversation
When a child asks why something happens, it's tempting to immediately launch into an explanation.
Instead, try inviting their ideas first.
Child: "Why is the moon out during the day?"
You: "Good question. What do you think?"
Child: "Maybe it forgot to go to bed."
You: "I love that idea. What made you think of that?"
It might sound silly, but conversations like these give children opportunities to explain their thinking, experiment with ideas and ask more questions.
In a 2014 study of preschool teachers, children responded with more talk to open-ended questions than to questions with fixed answers (Meacham et al., 2014).
The study didn't establish whether these conversations increase curiosity, but it does suggest that open questions can get children talking.
A few questions to try:
"What do you think might happen?"
"What have you noticed?"
"How could we find out?"
"What makes you think that?"
There's one important catch.
Sometimes children really do just want the answer.
Research has found that when young children receive explanations that don't answer their questions, they're more likely to ask again or offer their own explanation (Frazier et al., 2009).
So don't turn every question back on them.
Invite their thinking, then share what you know.
Think of it as a conversation, not a quiz.
Make room for "I don't know"
Sometimes asking "What do you think?" gets you a shrug.
Or an emphatic "I DON'T KNOW!"
That's okay.
Not every child enjoys guessing out loud. Some need more time to process a question, some worry about getting things wrong, and others simply want a clear answer.
A shrug doesn't necessarily mean a child isn't curious.
Rather than pushing for a response, try making the question easier or giving them another way to participate.
Give them time. Ask the question, then pause. Resist the urge to fill every silence.
Start smaller. Instead of "Why do leaves change colour?" try "What colours can you see on this leaf?"
Offer a starting point. "I wonder if the weather has something to do with it?"
Make it playful. "Shall we make a wild guess and see if we're right?"
Come back later. "Let's think about it on our walk home."
These are practical ideas, not a scientifically proven formula. Different children will respond differently, and what works at four might not work at nine.
It's also worth remembering that curiosity doesn't always look like asking questions.
It might look like watching insects, taking apart a toy, collecting interesting objects or returning to the same favourite topic again and again.
The aim isn't to make children constantly curious about everything.
It's to leave room for them to explore what interests them.
3. Say "I don't know. Let's find out."
Adults aren't supposed to know everything. Although some children seem deeply disappointed to discover this.
If you don't know the answer, say so.
"I actually don't know. Shall we find out together?"
It's an opportunity to show that learning doesn't stop when you grow up.
Research into children's information-seeking suggests that young children actively seek explanations that help them understand why things happen (Frazier et al., 2009).
So an honest "I don't know" can be the beginning of something useful.
You could:
Look something up together.
Find a relevant book at the library.
Ask someone who knows more.
Make a prediction and test it.
Write the question down for another day.
And here's where curiosity connects with another increasingly important skill: knowing how to check an answer.
What about AI?
Children are growing up with tools that can generate an answer to almost any question in seconds.
But sounding knowledgeable and being correct aren't the same thing.
Australian research published by the eSafety Commissioner in 2026 found that 79% of surveyed children aged 10–17 had used an AI assistant or companion.
That makes a useful habit worth practising early: asking not just "What's the answer?" but "How do we know?"
If you're using an age-appropriate AI tool together, try asking:
"Where did that information come from?"
"Could it be wrong?"
"How could we check?"
You could compare its answer with a trusted website, a book or another reliable source.
For teachers, this can become a simple classroom activity: compare an AI-generated explanation with a trusted reference and see what students notice, in line with your school's AI policies.
AI can be useful for exploring questions, but children still need opportunities to think, wonder and make sense of things themselves.
The aim isn't to have AI do the thinking.
It's to use the tools available while keeping children involved in discovering the answers.
Find curiosity in things you already do
Encouraging curiosity doesn't have to mean adding another activity to an already crowded schedule.
Sometimes, it's about making a little more of what's happening anyway.
A 2021 US study involving around 5,100 children found that more frequent parent-child conversations during shared television viewing were associated with higher parent-rated curiosity (Shah et al., 2021).
The study couldn't prove those conversations caused greater curiosity. But it offers a useful reminder that everyday interactions can create opportunities for learning.
Watching a nature documentary?
"I wonder how they filmed that?"
Cooking dinner?
"What do you think will happen when we add the flour?"
Walking to school?
"Why do you think that tree is losing its leaves?"
You don't need to ask a question every time, either. Sometimes the best thing to do is follow your child's lead.
And sometimes you'll discover something neither of you knew.
A small place to start
Some days you'll have the patience for all thirty "whys".
Other days, "Ask me again after dinner" will be the best you can manage.
That's part of life.
Curiosity doesn't need a perfectly prepared adult, a special activity or an answer to every question.
It needs room for children to wonder, explore, ask questions and sometimes get things wrong.
So next time you're faced with another "But why?", try a shared "Hmm", a thoughtful question or an honest "I don't know."
You might both learn something.
And if you're out of answers for the day?
There's always tomorrow.
Research and further reading
Shah, P. E., et al. (2018). Early childhood curiosity and kindergarten reading and math academic achievement. Pediatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-018-0039-3
Schutte, N. S., & Malouff, J. M. (2023). Increasing curiosity through intervention: A meta-analysis. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03107-w
Meacham, S., et al. (2014). Research on preschool teachers' questions during pretend play. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2014.07.001
Frazier, B. N., Gelman, S. A., & Wellman, H. M. (2009). Preschoolers' search for explanatory information within adult-child conversation. Child Development. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01356.x
Shah, P. E., et al. (2021). Research on parent-child conversation during shared television viewing and child curiosity. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258572
eSafety Commissioner (2026). Talking to machines: Children's experiences with AI assistants and companions. https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/talking-to-machines-childrens-experiences-with-ai-assistants-and-companions
