Student Wellbeing

From Mrs Bullen...

20 Questions to Ask Your Children

Many parents are familiar with those short end-of-day answers:

“Did you have a good day?” 

“Yes.” 

“Did you learn anything new?” 

“Maybe.” 

“Are you hungry?” 

“No.”

It can sometimes be tricky to get children talking about their day at school. While some are full of stories and ready to share, others might need a little encouragement to open up. Having these conversations helps children reflect on their experiences, express their feelings, and feel supported and heard.

Taking a few moments to chat about how school is going can make a real difference. Ask your child what they’re enjoying, what they might be finding challenging, and what they’re looking forward to. These conversations don’t need to be long or serious, a quick chat on the way home, at dinner, or before bed can help build connection and show your child that you’re interested in their day.

If you’re not sure where to start, try asking a few open-ended questions. They can lead to more thoughtful answers (and maybe even a few laughs). Sometimes a simple conversation can be just as valuable as making sure there isn’t a squished banana in the school bag!

20 Open-Ended Questions to Ask Your Child

1. What do you want to be when you grow up?
2. What is your favourite place in the world?
3. What makes you happy?
4. If you opened a shop, what would you sell?
5. If you could be any animal, what would you be?
6. What would you do if you made the rules at home?
7. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?
8. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
9. What’s your favourite thing to do?
10. What’s your favourite food?
11. How would you describe a perfect day?
12. What do you think you’re really good at?
13. If you could live with a cartoon character, who would you choose?
14. How would you describe our family?
15. What’s something you’d like to learn how to do?
16. What would you do with $1,000?
17. Which holiday do you like the most, and why?
18. What’s something that always makes you laugh?
19. Why do you think the sky is blue?
20. What made you smile today?