Making Time to Talk - Using Open Questions
From The Early Years Together by Deborah Brown and Dr Jacqueline Young
February 15, 2026 · 11 min · Season 1 · Episode 4
About this episode
This episode explores the significance of open-ended questions in fostering effective communication between adults and children in early years settings.
In this episode of Early Years Together , Dr Jacqueline Young and Deborah Brown take a deep dive into the power of open‑ended questions in early years interactions. Building on previous conversations about high‑quality adult–child communication, they explore what open‑ended questions are, why they matter, and how parents and practitioners can use them to nurture rich, imaginative, and sustained talk. This episode blends research insights, real‑world practice, and practical examples — perfect for anyone supporting children’s communication and language development. Subscribe, share, and step into a podcast made for reflective early years practice. Episode Four References: Worley, P., (2015). Open thinking, closed questioning: Two kinds of open and closed question. Journal of Philosophy in Schools. Link to Philosophy for Children website: https://p4c.com/ Hosts: Deborah Brown www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-brown79 Dr Jacqueline Young www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jacqueline-young Music composed by: Luke Young www.linkedin.com/in/lukeyoungcomposer
People in this episode
Hosts: Deborah Brown, Dr Jacqueline Young
Topics covered
- open-ended questions
- early years interactions
- adult-child communication
- children's communication development
- reflective practice
Keywords
- open-ended questions
- communication
- language development
- early years
- parenting
- practitioners
- imaginative talk
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Journal of Philosophy in Schools, Philosophy for Children
More episodes of The Early Years Together
- Making Time to Talk - Your Questions on Supporting Children’s Communication · April 25, 2026 · 15 min
- Making Time to Talk - Supporting Language Delay · April 18, 2026 · 18 min
- Research Focus: Intersections Between Creative Thinking and Disadvantage · April 11, 2026 · 23 min
- Making Time to Talk - Building Connections Through Talk in the Home · March 15, 2026 · 13 min
- Making Time to Talk - Supporting Multilingual Children in the Early Years · March 8, 2026 · 11 min
- Making Time to Talk - Why Being an Active Listener is Important · March 1, 2026 · 16 min
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