Why Do Children Ask So Many Questions? The Science Behind Curiosity.

Image Generated Using Meta AI

Have you ever been ambushed by a child's question that made you pause, look at the ceiling, and actually re-evaluate your whole life?

"Why is water wet?"

Excuse me?!

Or the classic: "Who taught the first teacher?"

You want to answer seriously, but all your brain is doing is buffering. Children don't just ask questions—they hunt with questions. Relentless. Tireless. Unapologetic.

As a therapist and after-school coach, I've developed a sixth sense. I can actually smell a question coming before it lands. Sometimes, I can even dodge it. But most times, it hits me like a flying slap.

But here's the twist: all this interrogation isn't just for fun or to test your blood pressure. Science shows that children ask questions because their brains are literally wired for curiosity.

🧠The Tiny Scientist in Every Child.

My son asked me one day why it is that ants don't wear shoes—and before I could blink, he followed it with: "But if they did, would they need four pairs or eight?"

I wanted to cry.

Children's brain are growing like overfed weeds. Their prefrontal cortex—the part responsible for reasoning and decision-making—is developing rapidly. Therefore, to understand the world, they use the only tool they know: questions.

It's like they're on a constant fact-finding mission. Every "why" is a breadcrumb on their path to knowledge.

🤯Why They Don't Stop (Even When You're Tired).

The reason they don't stop? Dopamine. That's the brain chemical that makes you feel good when you actually eat that delicious shawarma or finally untangle your earphones. You know that feeling, right? (okay, maybe just me). Anyway, when children ask question and eventually get an answer, not just any answer, but a well-thought-out and satisfying answer— immediately, their brain gives them a tiny reward. Boom! Happiness. So what do they do? In that moment, you'll think they are done with you. Oh! No, no, they just got started—they go again. Another question. Another reward. More joy.

In fact, MRI scans show that curiosity lights up the brain's reward system the same way sweets do. So when a kid is asking, "Why is the sky blue?", he's not trying to wear you out—he's literally on a brain sugar rush.

😅When They Go Too Far.

Now, let's be honest. Sometimes their innocent questions cross into serious and dangerous territories. Join me as we dive into a few of these questions:

"Why does Daddy sleep on the couch when Mummy is angry?"

"So...how exactly did I enter Mummy's stomach, and how did I come out?"

"Why can't I marry my cousin? We already like the same cartoons."

"If God made us, who made God?"

"If babies come from Mummy's tummy, why don't men have tummies like that?"

"Why do you close your eyes when you kiss?Are you praying?"

"Why do we have to wear clothes if Adam and Eve didn't?"

"If you say money doesn't grow on trees, why is paper made from trees?"

"If you tell me lying is bad, why did you say you were not at home when you were here?"

"Why can't I tell Auntie that you said her soup taste like punishment?"

"Why do you need makeup? Is your face broken?"

"Why do you cry when you cut onions but tell me 'big girls don't cry'?"

"If Jesus loves little children, will he buy me that toy?"

Guys! Those questions calls for a serious research project, right? Haha, I thought as much.

However, even those embarrassing questions are part of healthy cognitive development. Children so not filter what's "appropriate" the way we adult do. Their frontal lobe hasn't yet set up that particular boundaries. They're like unedited documentaries—raw and unfiltered.

☘️What Can We Do As Adults?

Here's the beautiful part: every question is an opportunity to build a stronger bond with a child and to fuel their learning process.You don't have to know every answer (Google it sometimes). However, the way we respond to each child's question matters.

For Instance, If a child asks, "Why do lizards do push-ups?", don't say, "Go and read your book!" Instead, say, "Hmmm, let's find out together." You might be surprised—those push-ups are actually a territorial display. Lizards are not just exercising. They're flexing!

By treating their questions with respect and a sense of humor, you're in a way, telling the child: Your curiosity matters.

🧪Final Thought.

Children are natural scientists. The world is their lab. Their questions are their tools. And you? You're either the lab assistant or the one they're experimenting on.

Either way, hold your breath, keep a bottle of patience nearby, and enjoy the ride.

Because one day, the same child who asked why you have "two necks" when you're lying down... might grow up to ask: "Can curiosity cure cancer?"

Image Generated Using Meta AI

And that, my friend, is when you'll be excitedly glad you didn't shut them down.

This is actually my first time here, I hope you'll find this enjoyable. Stay happy 😄, stay healthy 🥑, and keep sharing the love.🫶🧡

See you all again, in my next post🤗👋