If you’ve ever spent time around a preschooler, you know just how inquisitive they can be. Their minds seem to be going at warp speed and they often ask questions just as fast, sometimes not stopping long enough for you to respond. It turns out, parents answer an average of 11 questions from their young kids every day, according to new research.
A survey of 2-thousand parents, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of The Goddard School , of kids ages six and younger finds that curious children tend to ask “what?” (37%), “when?” (22%) and “why?” (11%) most often. Kids also commonly ask questions to better understand the world around them (76%), like about animals, nature, current events, and home experiences. Other popular topics include school subjects (64%), like math and science, and home-related inquiries (62%), including questions about parents, siblings, and caregivers.
The poll also reveals:
- The most interesting questions parents say their kid has ever asked include “Why is the sky so high?” and “Why can fish keep their eyes open in water?”
- Moms and dads don’t always have the answers, admitting they can only confidently answer an average of 42% of their child’s questions.
- When they’re stumped, parents turn to other friends who are parents (63%), their doctor (49%) and teachers or faculty at their kids’ school (46%) for answers.
- More than three-quarters (81%) of parents say they learn as much from their child as their child learns from them.
- The average parent learns something new from their child around five times a week.
- To encourage their kids’ creativity, moms and dads give them a chance to ask others questions (65%), expose them to different lifestyles and cultures (59%), let them explore the world around them (59%) and encourage them to play and use their imagination (45%).
Source: SWNS Digital