ROCKING & ROLLING describes how to use it:“ Now I’ m going to hold the handle and tip it just a little bit over my bowl of cereal.” She then offers children an opportunity to pour. In some cases, she may ask a question, such as when milk spills(“ What can we do to clean up the milk?”). She might reduce the difficulty of the task for some children by choosing a spill-proof pitcher and later introducing an open pitcher once children’ s dexterity has increased.
This guided practice reflects the individual relationship the teacher has built with each child as she adjusts her approaches based on their needs, interests, and abilities. Children look to her, and depend on her, as a model from which they can see, practice, and master new skills. At the same time, she is noticing, reflecting on, and supporting each child’ s choices and efforts.
Using Questions Intentionally
Guided play offers children the opportunity to direct their play and exercise autonomy( Cekaite & Simonsson 2025). The adult’ s role is to guide and support this play while considering existing and potential opportunities for learning. They can do this in two ways: Actively engaging in play with children, which can create opportunities to implement learning goals while following a child’ s lead, or actively observing a child’ s play and describing, commenting on, and asking questions about what they see and hear( Weisberg et al. 2016).
Infants and toddlers move through the world acting on a host of unspoken questions:“ What will happen if I throw this food off my high chair?”;“ Does the rattle make a sound every time I shake it?”;“ What can I do with this marker?” When educators notice and respond to these unspoken queries rather than issuing commands, statements, or instructions, children explore more freely and discover more on their own( Yu et al. 2018). Open-ended questions can serve as provocations that get children’ s“ wheels turning” and support them in the space between what they can do on their own and what they can do with coaching or support( Vygotsky 1978).
The toddlers in Mr. Kevin’ s class are playing in the dramatic play area, near a bin of kitchen equipment they haven’ t yet noticed.“ We have a pot here on the stove,” Kevin says.“ What else do we have to play with?” This question directs children’ s attention to new props and materials that can enrich the quality of their play. Kevin uses followup questions to suggest new actions or to spark connections to the children’ s existing funds of knowledge.“ What about putting some salt and pepper in that soup?” he asks.“ Do you eat soup at home? What’ s your favorite kind?”
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Ms. Alicia observes two 30-month-olds playing veterinarian with a stuffed dog. They’ ve used a toy thermometer to take the dog’ s temperature, but they seem a little stuck about what to do next. Alicia decides to use both open-ended and yes / no questions to help the children develop their play in a direction that interests them.“ Is the dog hurt?” she asks.“ Should we make an X-ray machine or use this scarf like a bandage? What do doctors do to make you feel better when you are sick?” By asking questions slowly, Alicia taps into children’ s experiences and sparks their thoughts and decisions about the direction of their play.
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Isabelle notices 18-month-old Carolina standing alone, watching peers play with trains.“ Carolina, would you like to play with Dennis and Carlos? Do you want to ask,‘ Can I play?’” Isabelle is careful to ensure that Carolina has the agency to say no; playing with peers is a question, not a directive. Isabelle wants to be sure that Carolina retains some choice in how and what type of play she engages in.
98 Young Children
Fall 2026