<jats:sec> <jats:title>Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>This study investigates the factors influencing interactive information retrieval (IIR) on the web by elementary school children.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Design/methodology/approach</jats:title> <jats:p>Employing the Delphi method, 118 statements representing 29 previously identified factors were evaluated by 21 experts in two rounds of questionnaires.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Findings</jats:title> <jats:p>In the Delphi study, experts approved 85 statements in the first round, added 17 new ones, and reached consensus on most items in the second round, resulting in 26 confirmed factors across eight layers of children's interactive information retrieval (IIR). The situational layer highlighted task type and search triggers, while cognitive factors included search styles, seeking help, and relevance judgment. Other layers emphasized natural language querying, usability, child-friendly software and websites, appropriate results filtering, child-oriented structures, and content safety and suitability.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Practical implications</jats:title> <jats:p>The identified factors provide a framework to help system designers develop child-friendly IIR environments and offer valuable insights for educators and parents to guide children in effectively retrieving appropriate and useful information online.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Originality/value</jats:title> <jats:p>This study adopts a multi-dimensional perspective on children's interactive information retrieval on the web.</jats:p> </jats:sec>