Kids Ask 200 Questions Per Hour...But Why?

Have you ever wondered why kids ask so many questions? This week, we’re diving into the role of curiosity in child development. Curiosity isn't just an adorable (and sometimes exhausting!) feature of childhood—it’s a powerful driver of learning and development.

Why Curiosity Matters

Research shows that young children ask between 69 and 198 questions per hour. Imagine the sheer volume of questions a child asks in a year—approximately 100,000! These questions are not random; they are purposeful, information-seeking behaviors driven by a deep desire to learn about the world. 

In studies, curiosity has proven to be a strong predictor of academic achievement, particularly in kindergarten math and reading. Like resilience, curiosity is not a personality trait that some kids innately possess, it is a dynamic factor that can be cultivated and encouraged. Moreover, children from lower-income backgrounds who exhibit high levels of curiosity can perform on par with their more privileged peers. Curiosity becomes a protective factor in terms of helping children overcome the disadvantages posed by inequitable systems (see my post on protective factors and resilience here).

There is so much more to learn about curiosity, and easy tips to integrate it into your work. Professor Elizabeth Bonawitz is a leader in the field, and here are two really good quick articles applying her work if you want to learn more: 

• https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/20/11/curious-mind

• https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/ed-magazine/22/11/it-better-ask-questions-or-listen-carefully 

See also the Learning Variability Navigator’s page on curiosity to see how it intersects with other factors in development.

My Insights

Curiosity follows an inverted “U-shaped” curve, meaning it tends to peak when there is a balance between familiarity and novelty. When there’s just enough new information to spark interest but not so much that it feels overwhelming, children are more likely to engage in exploration. If the learning task is too simple, they may lose interest; if it's too complex, they might feel discouraged. 

Curiosity does not look the same everywhere in the world. Children incessantly asking questions may be considered inappropriate or impertinent in some families or cultures. In Western societies there is often the idea in parenting that we must follow the child’s direction during interactions, but in other cultures children may follow their caregiver’s lead more often in learning new things by joining in adult activities. Neither of these is the “right” way to support a child’s curiosity. Curiosity is a universally positive factor for human development, but what that looks like in practice can vary across contexts. 

Key Takeaways For NABU and Beyond

• Curiosity is not a trait: Curiosity is not a fixed trait but a dynamic quality that can be nurtured or stifled by the environment. 

• Make it a page Turner!: How can the stories we develop spark a sense of curiosity in the child so that they want to know what happens next? How do we find that “sweet spot” of curiosity on the curve, knowing that this will vary across learners and contexts? Should we make curiosity an editorial value at NABU, and train our authors so that more of our stories excite children to read on? 

• Curiosity Fuels Learning: Encouraging curiosity in children supports their academic success and helps them overcome systemic disadvantages. At NABU, this could mean creating content that invites children to explore, ask questions, and feel excited about learning. Perhaps we want to integrate into our content creation process the development of a set of age-appropriate questions for the reader to ask the child? How might our characters ask questions or model curiosity throughout a story?

Join Me On This Journey!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic! How do you see curiosity playing a role in your work or daily life?

• Schedule a Meeting: Put time in my calendar here.

• Group Zoom Meetings: Let me know if you'd like to explore this further with a group discussion.

• Email Suggestions: Share your questions or topics you'd like me to cover in future newsletters.

Take 30 seconds to respond to rate this newsletter so I know if I’m on the right track!:

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Regardless of whether you work in non-profit or ed tech or government, I hope this was useful for you! Let’s continue to explore how to create environments where curiosity—and learning—flourish. I’m excited to have you on this journey with me.

Warmly,
Tanyella Allison Leta