10 Questions to Ask Your Child Instead of “How Was Your Day?”

Have you ever had this after-school conversation with your little one?

“How was your day?” You ask.

“Good."

“What did you do?” You try again.

“Nothing much.”

Sound familiar? Sometimes finding out how your child’s day went seems as hard as bathing a cat. But, let’s face it, “How was your day?” is not the best question to ask. Instead, ask them one (or two or three) of these conversation starters:

10 Better Questions to Ask Your Kids About Their Day:

1. What made you smile today?
2. Did you like your lunch? What did you have for lunch? Who did you sit with at lunch?
3. What did you play at recess? And with whom?
4. Did you catch anyone doing something funny?
5. What did you like best about your day today?
6. Was there anything that happened today that made you feel bad?
7. What was the most interesting thing that you learned in school today?
8. Did you do anything different or new today?
9. What was the most difficult thing you did today?
10. What made you feel proud of yourself today?

Do you have a preschooler at home? Try keeping your questions simple.

5 Questions to Ask Your Preschooler:

1. What made you feel happy today?
2. Who did you play with today?
3. Who did you eat lunch with today?
4. What made you feel sad today?
5. What was your favorite activity today?

Before asking your child about their day, make sure you set your phone aside and really pay attention to what they’re saying. Sometimes, children don’t want to talk because they don’t feel heard and other times, they say more with their body language than with words. That’s why it’s important to be fully present, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Keep in mind that children, like adults, sometimes need some time to decompress before they want to chat. If your child is not very responsive after your first question, try again later.

If you’re still struggling with getting your child to open up about their day, try connecting first. Do a fun activity together that lightens the mood and creates an open environment. And then, ask any of these questions and let the conversation flow.