When do toddlers start asking "why?"

[Anonymous]

I seem to remember my oldest doing this ALL THE TIME, starting around age 2. My almost 3 year-old has never asked "why". She talks well for her age and is often around her 5 yo sister. Does "why" not happen with some kids? Believe me, the "whys" got really old, but I did develop some great (somewhat sarcastic) answers for my older daughter. I'm certainly not begging for the return of the "whys", but wanted to make sure my younger daughter is developing normally.

[Anonymous]

My son (turned 3 in August) has always been verbal and he just started asking why and how questions in the last few weeks. I was starting to wonder about that too as I had seen other people mention their younger kids asking why questions all the time.

[Anonymous]

My very verbal now-6 year old asks questions, but never asked "Why?" My slightly less verbal 3 year old doesn't ask "Why?" either, but does sometimes ask "What?" constantly. I'm not even sure what he's asking, so it's hard to answer.

[Anonymous]

DS started around 2.5.

[Anonymous]

My son did around 2.5

[Anonymous]

Mine, who will be 3 in December, asks "why" occasionally, but he has many alternatives for prolonging the conversation (which I think is the purpose of "why?"). Mine prefers "you talk more about" X topic and "I want to talk about" Y topic (which also means that I should talk about it). So, I guess I wonder if your kid has also found alternatives to "why?"

[Anonymous]

My highly verbal toddler almost never asked why. Now 6, and it's non-stop both existential questions and very practical how-to. I'd been so excited that we escaped the dreaded Why stage, but it's hitting full force in 1st grade.

[Anonymous]

Mine is doing it now at 3 1/2

[Anonymous]

Mine never has. He is 3 and we have long conversations about other things... he likes asking me what people are called for some reason.

[Anonymous]

My just turned 2 year old (last week) has been doing this for a few weeks now. I don't remember older DD doing this until closer to 3.

[Anonymous]

I was wondering this too. My almost 3 year old (2 months shy of 3) has only recently started asking formal questions at all: What's that? Where is that? What's in there? Etc. I figure since he started the what/where questions on the late side (I think it is late) that we should not expect why/how questions for a few more months. We tend to explain a lot of things anyway so maybe he doesn't feel the need yet. But it's nice to hear we are not alone.

[Anonymous]

our 2.5 asks "what is it?" and "what's that sound?" NON STOP No why questions though. I dont think he knows what why means.

[Anonymous]

God I hate the question stage. My 3 year old would point at the basement stairs and say "who's that?" I think he meant to ask, like, where do those stairs lead, it didn't know how to frame the question. In any case, I was always super creeped out and pretty convinced he was seeing ghosts I couldn't.

[Anonymous]

My 2 year old son started around 2 years 3 months. He definitely started with what and who around 2, and grew into the why. We model it a lot, but I am sure kids are just different. Lots of "It's wet outside." "Yes, why is it wet? Because it rained."

[Anonymous]

Almost 3 year old constantly asks "What's this?", "Why?". Car rides seem to peak her interest the most when looking out the window and asking thousands of questions.