How Questions
Teaching children to answer "how" builds the ability to explain processes, describe methods, and break down complex actions into steps.
What Are How Questions?
How questions ask children to explain processes, describe methods, or express manner. They require breaking down actions into steps or describing the way something happens.
- "How do you brush your teeth?"
- "How does the caterpillar become a butterfly?"
- "How did you make that picture?"
Answering how questions requires procedural thinking — understanding sequences of actions and being able to explain them in order.
When Do Children Learn How Questions?
How questions are among the more challenging WH questions, typically developing later alongside "why":
Ages 3-3.5
Children begin understanding simple how questions about familiar routines ("How do you wash hands?").
Ages 3.5-4
Children can explain simple 2-3 step processes and answer "how" about visible actions.
Ages 4-5
Children explain more complex processes and can describe how something works or happened.
Ages 5-6
Children answer abstract how questions ("How do you think she feels?") and explain multi-step procedures.
How questions require both understanding of processes AND the language to explain them sequentially. Both skills need development.
Teaching How Questions
Model procedural language
Talk through what you're doing: "First I put on soap, then I scrub, then I rinse." This teaches sequence words.
Start with familiar routines
How do you get dressed? How do you make a sandwich? Children know these processes well.
Use cooking and crafts
Hands-on activities naturally involve sequences. Ask "How did we make that?" afterward.
Teach sequence words
First, next, then, after that, finally — these words structure how explanations.
Draw or act it out
For children who struggle verbally, drawing steps or acting out processes can bridge to verbal explanation.
Examples by Difficulty
Easier (familiar routines)
- How do you wash your hands?
- How do you put on a shirt?
- How do you eat soup?
Medium (multi-step)
- How do you make a sandwich?
- How do you get ready for bed?
- How did the boy get to school?
Harder (abstract/inference)
- How do you think she solved the problem?
- How does a plant grow?
- How would you help someone who is sad?
Coming to Our App
How questions will be part of our expanding WH Questions app, with scenarios designed to practice process explanation and procedural thinking.
Learn more about our Why app→