Ways to Ask Kids How Was Your Day Without Directly Asking

Every night at the dinner table we would ask our kids “How was school?” We’d get the obligatory “Fine.” or “OK.” response. It seemed that was all they would say. Both my husband and I knew that we wanted to connect with the kids more and truly find out what they did that day and possibly open up ideas to have a great family conversation.

This last year, instead of asking them “How Was Your Day?” we started asking different questions. We really learned to use new ways to ask kids how was your day. That was key!!

These are allowing us to not only find out what went on at school but even get to learn a little more about our kids. We’ve learned how much our oldest loves science and that our son really enjoyed making presentations on the computer. Without opening up our family dialogue, I do not know if we would really know as much as we do now.

I know you are wondering, how in the world can my spouse (significant other) and I do this with our own kids. Below you will find ten different ways to ask your kids about their day without actually asking the same rhetorical question to them. Just be prepared for some great conversations! 😉

CREATIVE WAYS TO ASK YOUR KIDS HOW WAS YOUR DAY

1. What was the best thing about your day? (You can follow up asking what was the worst)?

2. Who did you sit by today at lunch? What did you talk about?

3. What did you learn today?

4. What did you do at recess? Who did you play with?

5. Who would you like to get to know more? Why?

6. If you were teaching the class, what would you do differently than your teacher does?

7. What was the funniest thing that happened (or something that made you smile)?

8. What subject is the easiest for you? Why? (Can follow up with which is the most difficult)

9. Who is your best friend? Why?

10. Who is the funniest person in your class? Why?

11. Is there anyone in your class who you think could use a new friend?

12. What did you do to help someone today? What did someone do to help you?

13. If you could teach any subject, what would it be?

14. What would you do if you had one day where you were the principal?

15. What do you think you need to work on more in school?

16. Who made you smile today?

17. If the school were an animal, what animal would it be?

18. Did anyone push your buttons today?

19. If you could plan the perfect school day, what would it be like?

20. What songs are you learning in music?

21. Was anyone sick from school today?

22. Can you rate your day on a scale of 1 – 10? (Then follow up with why they rated it that way).

23. Did your teacher laugh today? Why?

24. What do you want to master before the end of the school year?

25. If you could do anything with 2 friends, who would you choose and what would you do?

BONUS:

If you have a teenager, it can be even more difficult to talk to them. Check out these five additional questions you might ask:

A. If you could be invisible, which place in the school would you like to visit (can’t say restroom or locker rooms). Why?

B. Which class is the easiest? The hardest?

C. If you had to write a book about today, what would the title be?

D. If you had the ability to read thoughts, whose mind would you read?

E. What do you all do when in the halls between classes?

F. Where do you go after school?

G. Do you feel safe in school?

I know there are more great questions you can ask your kids, so if you have ideas on ways to ask kids how was your day, please share them below!