Why Asking ‘Why?’ Doesn’t Work With Preschoolers

Key points

Asking a preschooler why they misbehaved usually leads nowhere because they don’t know, can’t explain, or feel blamed. Instead, ask simple questions that guide them to reflect, problem-solve, and try again. That’s where the learning happens.

Chances are you’ve asked this question before. I know I have. It just slips out in the heat of the moment:  “Why did you do that?”

However, asking a preschooler why they misbehaved rarely leads to anything helpful.  Young kids usually don’t know the reason, can’t put it into words, or feel overwhelmed by the question.

It's like asking a blender why it made a mess without its lid, it just did what it was wired to do in the moment. Kids do the same.

The question often leads to blank stares, random excuses, or frustration, because young kids don’t always know why they acted a certain way. And if they answer at all, it’s often something like “because I wanted to”.  That doesn’t teach them anything, nor does it benefit the situation at hand. It simply lets them defend the behavior. 

Asking “why” in the middle of a behavior issue often feels like an interrogation. It usually happens when you are frustrated, and the child doesn’t have the words or self-awareness to explain themselves anyway.

Home Scenario A

Mom: “Max, why did you knock your brother’s tower over?” (insert annoyed tone)

Max: “He grabbed my block FIRST!”

Brother: “Noooo, I didn’t!”

Now what? There’s no clear path forward, and the conversation quickly turns into an argument no one can win.

Home Scenario B

Mom: “Max, why did you knock your brother’s tower over?”

Max throws a toy, has a tantrum, or runs to his room and slams the door.   All indicate an inability to verbalize his frustrations. All of these reactions show one thing: he can’t put his frustration into words yet.

If you want your child to:

• Feel Safe

• Feel heard and validated

• Learn from their actions

• Develop problem-solving skills

• Build self-regulating

• Feel empowered and develop a sense of agency

Try asking these questions instead:

✔ "Looks like something’s bothering you. Want to tell me about it?"

✔ "What were you hoping would happen?"

✔ "How do you think your brother felt when that happened?"

✔ "Let’s figure out what we can do next time instead."

✔ "What do you need right now to feel better or fix it?"

These simple questions help children recognize their feelings, understand cause and effect, and learn from what happened. And they can do all of that without feeling pressured to explain something they don’t fully understand.

Classroom Example:

Sam hits Fred during circle time. Now, instead of engaging with the class, the teacher has to handle the situation, while the rest of the class loses patience.

Teacher: “Why are you hitting your friend?”

Sam might deny it, start crying, shut down, or ramble while the rest of the class loses patience.

Instead, say: 

“Fred, are you okay?” 

“Sam, is something bothering you, or do you need help with something?”

Sam: “Fred is bothering me. He is sitting too close to me.” (Preschoolers need personal space too. That article is linked here:)

Teacher:  “Sam, I hear that you’re frustrated and need more space. After circle time, we can talk about how to fix the problem without using our hands.”

“Right now, you have a choice. You can sit on a chair or use a carpet square.“

Turn this into a teachable moment about personal space. Ask the kids what they do when someone sits too close or makes them uncomfortable. Let them brainstorm ideas and share their own stories. When kids feel heard, they usually offer great, honest solutions.

Sometimes (and by sometimes, I mean often), it’s better to scrap the lesson and focus on what’s happening right now. Kids learn more from these real-life moments, like navigating personal space, than from anything we had planned to teach.

The next time you’re tempted to ask “Why?”, choose one of the questions that actually teaches a skill. Your child learns more, you stay calmer, and the behavior improves because they understand what to do next, not because they had to explain the situation.