Connecting with your little one is easier said than done. When you ask your child how their day was, do you often get a monosyllabic response, such as ‘good,’ or ‘okay’ followed by silence? It’s a conversational dead-end.
Whether it’s around the dinner table or in the car, the trick to get your child to open up and put an end to monosyllabic responses is using creative, open-ended questions.
Read on to find a bunch of fun open-ended questions for kids that can make them talk about their personal opinions, likes and dislikes, and experiences.
70+ Open-Ended Questions For Kids
- Which of your friends do you admire and why?
- How do you show people you care?
- If you could be invisible for one day, what would you do?
- What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re outside?
- How do you think the world will be when you’re an adult?
- What are a few things that make you laugh?
- What was your favorite part of the day?
- What inspires you to study hard?
- If you could change something about your school, what would it be?
- Which subject do you enjoy the most, and why?
- What are your five best traits?
- If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
- What privileges are you looking forward to the most about growing up?
- What is your favorite thing about yourself?
- Why did you choose to read that book?
- In the book you’re reading, what do you think will happen next?
- What’s your biggest fear? How do you plan to get over it?
- What’s the most challenging part about being a child?
- Why do you think God always wants us to tell the truth?
- What would you do if you made the rules at home?
- You made a mistake in your puzzle. What could we have done instead?
- What superhero powers would you want to have?
- What’s your favorite room in the house and why?
- If someone gave you $50, what would you do with it?
- If you could sit anywhere in class, where would it be?
- If you were me for a day, what would you do?
- What do you think about when you wake up?
- What’s your favorite place in the world?
- What do you love most about the place you live and why?
- What is something that you want but don’t want to ask for, and why?
- Describe a great day. What makes it special?
- If you could join the circus, what would your act be?
- What’s the best way to help someone in school?
- What did you learn today that you didn’t know before?
- Would you rather be the best in sports or academics? Why?
- Do you have a favorite teacher? Why are they your favorite?
- What three things would you grab if the house were on fire?
- If you could go on vacation now, where would you go and why?
- If we go to the beach over the weekend, what would you do there?
- Do you like nature? What appeals to you the most about it?
- Which new language would you like to learn?
- What time of day is your favorite?
- Name a few things you would want to be when you grow up.
- What are a few things you cannot live without, and why?
- If you could change one thing about your room, what would it be?
- How would you like to spend a day off from school?
- If you could have any three wishes granted, what would they be?
- What is something you are really good at?
- What’s a memory that makes you happy?
- What’s the hardest part about going to school?
- What are you thankful for in your life?
- What are a few things that make your family special?
- What’s something you’d like to change about your routine?
- What did you learn at school today?
- If you could stay up all night, what would you do?
- If you could trade places with any friend, who would you choose and why?
- What do you like doing with your friends?
- What would you do if someone asked you to do something you didn’t want to do?
- If you had to live with a cartoon character, who would you pick?
- If you could be the best at anything, what would you choose and why?
- What would you like to become after you graduate from high school?
- Math or science—which subject do you prefer and why?
- Who is your favorite anime character, and why?
- What food could you eat every day and never get tired of it?
- Did you draw, write, or build anything today? Describe it!
- If you opened a store, what would you sell?
- What’s your favorite form of outdoor play and indoor play?
- What did you do that was creative?
- What did you do that involved complex thinking?
- What’s your advice for parents?
- Who are your good friends, and why do you like them?
- What is your favorite conversation topic with parents?
- What’s your favorite family tradition?
Children ask endless questions, but now, with this list of open-ended questions, it’s time to turn the tables and get them to think and talk. You can use these questions anytime—whether you want to put an end to silence in the car or get them to open up about something that happened in school.
Feel free to tweak the questions based on the situation or child. With these questions, your time together will be entertaining.