What and Where Questioning
Practising What and Where Questions With Your Child at Home
Build What and Where questioning at home through short, playful turns during everyday routines — naming objects, hiding-and-finding games, picture books and choices at mealtimes. Model the answer, give your child time to respond, follow their interests, and keep sessions little and often rather than long.
Every time you ask "What's that?" or "Where's your shoe?" you're handing your child two of the most useful keys to language — and your home is the perfect place to practise.
In short
You can build What and Where questioning at home through simple, playful turns during everyday routines — naming objects (what) and locating them (where) during play, meals, bath and dressing. Start with what your child already knows, model the answer, give a beat to respond, and celebrate every try. Little and often — a few minutes, many times a day — beats one long session.Everyday activities to try
"What" questions — naming and identifying- During play, hold up an object and ask "What's this?" If your child doesn't answer, model it: "It's a ball!" — then try again next time.
- Use picture books: point and ask "What is the dog doing?" Keep choices small at first ("Is it a cat or a dog?").
- Mealtime is gold: "What do you want — banana or apple?" Choices invite a response without pressure.
"Where" questions — location and prepositions
- Hide a favourite toy and ask "Where's teddy?" Help your child find it — "There it is, under the blanket!"
- During dressing: "Where do your socks go?" Pair the words with the action.
- Play "put it there" games — "Where does the cup go?" — naming on, in, under, behind as you go.
Make it work
- Wait 5–10 seconds after asking — children need time to process.
- Model the answer rather than correcting; repetition teaches.
- Follow your child's interest — questions about a beloved toy land far better than a worksheet.
When to ask for more support
If your child rarely responds to what or where questions, isn't pointing or naming familiar things by around two years, or seems frustrated trying to communicate, a friendly developmental check can tell you whether a little extra help would make things easier. There's no harm in asking early — it simply gives you a clearer picture.The Pinnacle way
At Pinnacle Blooms Network, our speech therapy team weaves what and where questioning into play that fits your family's daily routine, so practice feels natural, not like homework. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care — at home, your job is simply to play, model and enjoy the back-and-forth. With 25 million+ therapy sessions behind us, we can show you exactly which games suit your child's stage.Trusted sources
Guided by communication-development guidance from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the CDC's developmental milestones, which highlight responding to simple questions and using location words as key early-language steps.Next step — message our speech therapy team on WhatsApp at +91 91001 81181 for a quick chat about easy questioning games matched to your child's stage.
This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care.
What to watch
If your child rarely responds to simple 'what' or 'where' questions, isn't naming or pointing to familiar things by around two years, or grows frustrated trying to communicate, book a friendly developmental check rather than waiting.
Try this at home
Pick one daily routine — say, dressing — and add one question: 'Where do your socks go?' Wait, model the answer, celebrate the try. Same question, same time, every day.
Trusted sources
Developed by SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network · Last reviewed 2026-06-11 · reviewed every 365 days
This is general information, not a diagnosis. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care.
Frequently asked
At what age should my child answer 'what' and 'where' questions?
Many children begin responding to simple 'what' and 'where' questions between about 18 months and 3 years, often answering 'what' before 'where'. Every child's pace differs, so use it as a gentle guide rather than a deadline — and ask for a developmental check if you're unsure.
What if my child doesn't answer at all?
That's common and not a reason to worry on its own. Model the answer yourself, keep choices small ("Is it a ball or a car?"), and give plenty of time to respond. If your child rarely engages with questions across many tries, a friendly developmental check can clarify whether extra support would help.
How long should we practise each day?
Short and frequent works best — a minute or two woven into play, meals and dressing, several times a day. Children learn language through repeated, low-pressure turns, not long formal sessions.