July 20, 2026

Gentle Questions to Ask Your Child After School

Connecting After a Busy Day

Sometimes, a simple "How was your day?" only gets a one-word answer. To help you foster deeper, warmer connections before bedtime, here are some playful and thoughtful questions to ask your child about their school day:

What was the funniest thing that happened at school today?
Did someone do something incredibly nice for you today?
What is one new thing you learned today?
What did you have for lunch?
What games did you play during recess?
Did you catch anyone picking their nose in class?
What did you do for someone else today?
If only one of your teachers could survive a zombie apocalypse, who would it be? Why?
What made you smile today?
What was something challenging for you today?
If your school were an amusement park ride, which one would it be? Why?
How would you rate your day on a scale from 1 to 10? Why?
If one of your classmates could be the teacher for a day, who would you choose? Why?
If you were the teacher tomorrow, what would you teach?
Did anyone make you feel upset or angry today?
Who is someone you aren't friends with yet, but would like to be?
What is the coolest thing to do during recess?
What is your teacher's most important rule?
Does your teacher remind you of anyone else you know? Who?
Would you like to share something new you learned about one of your friends today?
If aliens landed at school and took three kids to their planet, who would you want them to take? Why?
How did you help someone today?
At what moment did you feel most proud of yourself today?
What was the hardest rule to follow today?
What is something you want to learn before the school year ends?
Who sits directly across from you in class?
Where is the most fun place at school?
Which playground game are you hoping to master?
Is there anyone in your class who struggles to follow the rules?

Source: Sara Goldstein