We ask our kids questions every single day… but ‘where are your shoes?’ and ‘what on earth are you doing that for?’ aren’t exactly the kind of questions that spark conversation and connection.
But when you have meaningful; questions to ask your kids each day, you can start creating habits of communication and ensure that talking to each other becomes something that is done with ease.
Why Ask Your Kids Questions Every Day?
When you make it a habit to ask your kids questions every day, you are encouraging them to communicate with you. You are also teaching them that their thoughts and opinions matter to you.
It can be easy to get into the habit of asking closed questions that only require a yes or no answer; but when you ask open-ended questions, you are giving your kids the opportunity to really open up and share what they are thinking and feeling.
When To Ask Your Kids These Questions?
You can ask these questions at any time! Whether you are driving in the car, making dinner together, or just sitting down to chat before bed; there is always an opportunity to connect with your kids.
If you are looking for some structure, then consider setting aside some time each day (such as first thing in the morning, or perhaps at dinner time) to have a ‘question of the day’.
This can be a fun way to ensure that you are asking meaningful questions and also gives your kids something to look forward to each day.
What Age Should Your Kids Be To Answer These Questions?
We often dismiss asking deeper questions of young children and go to more of the funny questions or silly questions when wanting to chat with them.
And while there’s nothing wrong with this, it’s also possible to have meaningful conversations with younger children, especially when you ask the right questions.
That being said, older kids sometimes need a different approach, and asking questions can often lead to one-word answers (or a simple grunted response from some teens…).
While there is no perfect age for this list of questions, the best thing you can do is to keep trying to spark conversations on a regular basis, and these questions can be a great starting point.
How To Use These Questions
When using these questions for the first time, it can be easy to forget that for a kid these are a lot of questions, and if you ask them all at once it may seem like a constant barrage, which can lead to your kids shutting down and not talking at all.
But, by using them as a good conversation starter, you can ask your child questions while being able to naturally keep the conversation going.
The best part is that by doing this, and asking these questions in a more conversational way rather than an interview kind of way, you’ll find your kids are more likely to share more details with you and have less resistance to having a conversation.
12 Questions To Ask Your Kids Every Day
While it would be absolutely ideal to ask your kids these questions every day, we also understand that there are just some days when kids simply don’t want to talk and engage. And that’s absolutely fine, and totally normal.
On those days when they just don’t seem to be in the mood, try asking just one or two of these questions instead of all twelve. Or, alternatively, you could ask them to pick which question they would like to answer.
Also, if you find that your kids are just not in the mood to answer questions one day (perhaps they’re tired, or grumpy, or just not feeling chatty), then simply try again another day.
By attempting to ask the questions each day, you are teaching your kids that you are interested in what they have to say, you are there whenever they want to talk, and their feelings are important, even if they don’t always want to talk about them.
Read More: 101 Would You Rather Questions For Kids
Questions To Ask Your Kids Every Morning
These questions are designed to be asked in the morning, before school, or before the events of the day.
What wonderful things do you hope will happen today?
Asking this question can help your child get into the mindset that positive things are going to happen, and help them have a more optimistic outlook for the day ahead.
This also gives you an opportunity to talk together about the upcoming events for the day, and you can share the positive things you’re looking forward to and hoping will happen today too.
How are you feeling emotionally today?
This is such an important question, particularly for kids who might not always be forthcoming about how they’re really feeling.
Asking your child how they are feeling emotionally will help them to start identifying and understanding their emotions, and it also provides an opportunity for you to talk about any emotions they might be struggling with.
It can also help to set the tone for the day ahead, and ensure that both you and your child are aware of how they’re feeling so that you can be more attuned to their emotional needs throughout the day.
What could you do to help someone today?
Starting the day with a focus on helping others is a great way to encourage your child to think about others and to be kind.
It’s also a good way to get them thinking about what they might encounter during the day, and how they could help someone if the opportunity arises.
Talk about what they could do for their best friend, or their teacher, or another person who seems to be having a hard time at the moment.
Of course, you can also talk about any opportunities you might have to help others during the day too.
What do you need to make sure you have a wonderful day today?
This question is all about ensuring that your child has everything they need, both physically and emotionally, to have a great day.
It also shows them that you’re there for them, and willing to help them with whatever they need in order to have a good day.
If they need help with anything, this is the perfect time to ask.
Is there anything you are worried about or would like to talk about this morning?
Kids don’t often show worry in the same way adults do, and often times they can keep their worry to themselves because they either can’t identify it, or struggle to find the words to articulate it.
Asking this question gives them the opportunity to reflect on whether there is anything that is causing them worry, and helps to put a name to their emotion too.
If your child seems to be a bit withdrawn or is struggling to engage with the other questions, this is a good question to ask.
It can help to get them talking about anything that might be bothering them, and provides an opportunity for you to offer support and reassurance if needed.
Questions To Ask Your Kids Every Night
These questions are designed to be asked in the evening, around the dinner table, at bedtime or before your child goes to sleep, and are a reflection on the day that has been.
What made you happy today?
This question is a great way to encourage your child to think about the positive things that happened during the day.
It’s also a good opportunity to share any happy moments from your day too.
Kids often tell us the things that went wrong, the worst thing, or the big events of the day, but asking them what made them happy can help them to focus on the good things and the happy things that happened to them.
What was a challenge you overcame today?
We all face challenges every day, both big and small, and asking your child about the challenges they overcame during the day can help them to feel proud of themselves.
It’s also a good way to encourage problem solving, and to talk about how they coped with the challenge too.
You can discuss with your kids any challenges you faced for the day too, and how you overcame them.
It’s also a great idea to take this opportunity to explore the different ways we can overcome challenges, reflect on our actions and ask ourselves if there’s anything we could do differently or better, all while helping your kids understand that challenges are a very much normal part of our daily lives.
What was your favorite thing that happened today?
This question is very similar to the first one, but focuses more on a specific event rather than general happiness.
It’s a great way to encourage your child to recall any special moments from the day, and to share them with you too.
You can also talk about your favorite thing that happened during the day, which helps to create a bonding moment between you and your child.
What did you learn today?
Learning happens all the time, both in school and out of school, and asking your kids what they learned during the day is a great way to encourage them to think about what they’ve taken in.
It’s also a good way to find out what they’re interested in, and to start a conversation about any topics they might be curious about.
While we often ask our kids ‘what did you learn at school today?’, this question allows them to share anything they learned that day, even if it wasn’t at school.
You can share something that you learned during the day too, which helps to create a learning environment at home.
What are you grateful for today?
Gratitude is an important emotion, and one that we should all try to cultivate.
Asking your kids what they are grateful for gives them the opportunity to reflect on the good things in their life, and helps to remind them of all the things they have to be thankful for.
It’s also a good way to encourage an attitude of gratitude in your home, and to start a conversation about what gratitude means.
You can share what you are grateful for too, and talk about why you are thankful for those things.
What was the kindest thing you did today?
Teaching our kids to be kind is one of the most important things we can do, and asking them about a act of kindness they did during the day is a great way to encourage them to think about others.
It’s also a good way to start a conversation about what kindness is, and why it’s important.
You can share an act of kindness that you did during the day too, which helps to model kind behavior for your kids.
Is there anything you want to talk about?
This question is a great way to encourage kids to share anything that might be on their mind, whether it’s something that’s been bothering them, or something they’re excited about.
It’s also a good way to open the door for conversation about any topics that might be sensitive, or that your child might not feel comfortable talking about otherwise.
You can share anything you want to talk about too, which helps to create an open and safe environment for conversation.
Should I Keep Asking The Same Questions Every Day?
In short, absolutely.
Asking simple questions each day, and having conversations with your kids, can lead to great insight into your child’s world, and help you keep in touch with what is happening in your child’s like, what is important to them, and to simply keep in touch.
Sometimes, asking the same question at the same time each day can become one of your new favorite family traditions, especially when you’re asking thoughtful questions and having great conversations.
These are just a few ideas of questions you can ask your kids to get the conversation started, but there are endless possibilities.
The important thing is to take the time to talk with your kids, and to really listen to what they have to say.
It’s a great way to build a strong relationship with your kids, and to help them feel loved and valued.
It can also be a lot of fun, and you might be surprised by what you learn about your kids when you take the time to really listen to them.
