How to Get Your Child to Talk About Their Day

Many parents struggle to get their children to talk about their day once they get home from school. Some kids love to talk about school, but for others, it is more challenging to get them to share a few things about their day. There are some ways that you can get your child to be more open and start a conversation about their experiences at school.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is to give your child some time to unwind before you start prodding them with questions. Children need some time to relax and decompress after they spent all day in the classroom. At school pick-up time, kids are tired and don’t want to detail their day; instead, an after-school snack can help get their energy up for the rest of the day. Depending on your schedule, dinnertime may provide a good opportunity for you to talk with your child about their day.  

When you find a good time to talk to them about school, open-ended questions are best to spark a conversation. Questions that only have a “yes” or “no” answer don’t elicit engaging and expansive responses and can shut down a conversation quickly. Also, questions like “How was your day?” are too broad, and your child will probably respond with a one-word answer like “good” or “fine.” Instead, ask questions about activities or events that might stick in their memory. You can also share something about yourself and your experiences in school to make them feel more comfortable and willing to share. Below are some questions you may want to ask to start an engaging conversation:

1. What was your favorite part of your day?
2. What electives/special classes (art, music, cooking, etc.) did you do today?
3. When I was in school, my friends and I liked to play kickball at recess. What do you are your friends like to do?
4. What was the hardest thing you had to do today?
5. Did any of your classmates do anything funny today? What did they do?
6. Who did you sit with at lunch? Who did you play with today?
7. What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
8. Did your teacher read a book to the class today? What was it about?

At Les Enfants, we encourage our preschool and kindergarten students to learn through play and exploration, thinking critically, and being innovative and creative. Contact us to schedule a tour and learn more about our curriculum at (201) 592-6695.