Kids ask the toughest of questions and can sometimes leave us mums tripping over our words as we try to think of the right answer without resorting to the internet. Some mums may already know the answer to these questions, others might need a little memory jog. And rather than try to make something up, here are five questions your little one is likely to ask you and what you need to know to help answer them:
Where do rainbows come from?
So you’re driving along when you suddenly spot a rainbow. Pointing it out to your little one, you don’t expect them to ask, where do rainbows come from?
Here’s how to answer: A rainbow will only appear when it is both rainy and sunny at the same time. This is because when the sunlight which is made up of lots of different colours hits the rain it separates into what you see as a rainbow.
Why is the sky blue?
This is another question that can leave us all feeling a little dumb when we struggle to answer it.
How to answer: Light is made up of lots of different colours which we see when a rainbow forms. When all these colours are together they make white light. When it reaches the earth it reflects through water droplets and we see it as a blue colour.
How are mountains formed?
Another tricky one that you probably learnt in Geography class but have clearly forgotten about.
How to answer: Under the earth there are lava and plates that move on top of it. When these plates collide together they push up towards the earth creating the mountain shape we see now. It takes a long, long time to be able to see the mountain.
Why do we need to brush our teeth?
This one is usually asked right before bedtime.
How to answer: when you brush your teeth you are brushing away bacteria that is stuck to them. Bacteria then forms a thin layer of a white substance along the teeth called plaque. This eats into teeth creating holes called cavities.
Where does thunder and lightning come from?
How to answer: Thunder and lightning are caused when clouds become charged up with energy because they are full of warmth and moisture. Then a current is formed which causes the electricity to create a bright flash and the boom sound.
