understand why questions in context and respond  

A Playmobil figure or similar

Small world objects - some of them broken

1. Explain that you are going to tell a story about the toy.

2. Tell a story about what the toy does in the day. Lots of things go wrong because the objects are broken e.g. 'want to go to work in the car but it won't move.'

3. Whenever there is a problem for the toy, ask the child 'why?' e.g. 'why won't the car move?' Answer: 'because there is no wheel!'

A toy character (called Freddy)

Pictures of different locations, e.g. beach, mountains

One or two items which go with each location e.g. bucket and swimming costume for the beach

1. The child gets Freddy to ask for one of the items.

2. You say "Why do you want X?" (e.g. "Why do you want the bucket?").

3. Help the child to give a reason using 'because Freddy is going to...' E.g. 'why do you need a swimming costume? Answer: 'Because Freddy is going to the beach'.

Pictures of different locations with different 'hazards' or things of interest e.g. a jungle with a river and dinosaurs

Two toy animals (wind up toys are ideal)

1. The two toys go for a walk in one of the locations.

2. One toy will ask 'why...?' all the time. E.g. 'why are we hiding?'

3. Have the child give the answer the other toy would give e.g. 'because there is a dinosaur there'.

Equipment to demonstrate an everyday problem and discuss it.

Some examples of equipment you could use:

Torch or toy with no batteries;

Cup with a hole in it;

Dry pasta;

Pen with no nib and in;

Broken pencil;

Dry pen with no lid.

1. Talk about a problem, e.g. a torch which will not work.

2. Ask 'why won't it work?'

3. When the child has worked out why there is a problem ask them to tell you. 'Because there are no batteries!'