January 2026 Theme: Questioning
After finishing up 2025 practicing the art of slowing down, we are carrying that intention into 2026 with a slower, yet deeper, monthly rhythm.
We begin the year with January centered on questioning, seen as gentle pauses that invite caring listening and foster deeper connection.
At the Petit Refuge, questioning is simply a way of being fully present with one another.
Why Questioning?
The questions we ask often root from previous experiences, shape what we notice, and deepen our thinking, especially in young children.
A thoughtful question can slow us down and open the door to unexpected stories, ideas, and future adventures.
As an early childhood educator, I, the Hand being the wooden Fellows, learned the six levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Over time, I found my own way to keep questioning simply, using 3 lenses to design questions on the spot.
- A lens of Looking Back i.e. questions drawing on memory and experience.
- A lens of Looking Closely or Here i.e. questions focusing on what is happening right now.
- A lens of Looking Beyond i.e. questions that invite imagining, extending, or designing.
To support the exploration of those lenses, we are sharing a free questioning template you can use right away. It invites you to pick a simple moment, create a question from each lens, and notice what unfolds.
There is no right way to do it.
–> Download the January Questioning Practice
Practicing Together, Week by Week
Want to go deeper?
We are modeling the Art of Questioning in our weekly pause, named 4UsAll, throughout January of 2026, using magical stories from the Petit Refuge.
For instance, Mme Rigolotte found a few old juggling balls in a drawer. Such a discovery transported her back to her first visit to the circus in France, while Pierre Qui Roule invented his own system of juggling using pulleys. Meanwhile, Maurice decided to sew his own set in a color more suitable to his taste. Petite Clothilde, as often, unleashed her imagination by inventing new stories to the Bouilles.
Each moment invited a wide range of questions that I, the Hand being the wooden Fellows, gladly elevated in the next 4 Us All.
If you would like to follow along and see how questioning evolves over time, you are warmly invited to join us.
Looking Ahead
At the end of the month, we share a reflective blog post that synthesizes what emerged in January, weaving together stories, insights, and research-based reflections on questioning in early childhood.
This page remains as a snapshot of the theme, even as we move into the next month.
Sometimes, the most meaningful moments begin with a question we almost did not ask. We are SO glad you are here.
