201 Questions for Kids (Getting To Know You, Funny, After-School & More) • Mindfulmazing.com

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Inside: Are you a teacher looking for fun ways to break the ice and get to know your students? Are you a parent looking to connect with your child on a different level? The best way to do either is to ask fun getting to know you questions for kids.

Sometimes it can be hard to get kids to open up and talk to you.

You ask them a question, and they close up tighter than a rusty 100-year-old clam, usually replying with a dreaded one-word answer.

You know, the “I don’t know” or “fine.”

But it’s important to ask questions to get to know our kids or students because we want to foster meaningful connections, which will help them feel supported, confident, and understood.

Below are oodles of getting to know you questions for kids, funny questions for kids, question of the day for students, thinking questions for kids, after school questions for kids, and even would you rather questions for kids, all designed to help your kids or students open up and get to know each other and you better.

Note: If you love these fun getting-to-know-you questions for kids, you will also go bananas for our All About Me Activities and Worksheets for Kids!

What Questions Should I Ask My Kids

If you’ve ever asked, “how do I get to know my child better?” You’ve come to the right place. We have 201 questions below. This gigantic list is broken into basic getting-to-know-you questions for kids, question of the day for kids, funny questions for kids, thinking questions for kids, after-school questions for kids, and would you rather questions for kids.

You’ve come to the right spot!

60 Getting to Know You Questions for Kids

What is your favorite color, and why?
Have you ever seen a lion in person or on the T.V?
If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
What’s the hardest thing about being a kid these days?
Do you like to play games with other kids, or do you prefer to play by yourself?
Who was your best friend when you were younger?
Are there any animals that scare you the most?
What’s your favorite food and why?
Do you believe in ghosts?
Would you like to fly in a spaceship?
What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
What’s your favorite sport to play at recess? At home?
When you grow up, what do you want to be?
What’s the funniest thing you’ve done with friends or family?
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?
Do you believe in aliens?
If you could meet anyone in the whole world, who would it be and why?
What’s your favorite movie?

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If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Do you prefer reptiles or mammals?
What’s your favorite holiday of the year?
Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what’s their name?
What is your favorite season of the year?
Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, what are their ages and names? If not, do you want any?
What’s your favorite thing to do on the weekend?
What types of things and situations make you the angriest? How do you react when you are mad?
What would make a perfect day for you?
Do you have any hobbies?
If you could learn one instrument, what it be and why?
Do your parents or guardians play any instruments or sing?
What is your favorite type of book to read?
Have you ever seen a shooting star in the night sky? Did you make a wish on it?
Are you a night owl or an early bird?
Do you have any favorite singers/bands?
What’s the best thing about being a kid?
How long can you sit still?
What’s a talent you have that other people don’t know about?
Do you cry easily?
What’s the last movie that made you cry?
What do you think about the most?

Conversation Starters!

120 conversation starters for kids that are simply amazing! Foster gratitude, imagination, creativity, confidence, and empathy. Develop improved mental health, discover ambitions, and improve confidence. You’ll be surprised at what you can learn and what your child shares.

The other day, I learned that my child wants to go to Australia to visit the kookaburra bird. Then, the very next night, I learned that he feels jealous that he’s not the funny kid in class. So now I can help him boost his confidence by teaching him some clever jokes.

get the Conversation Starters

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Are you happy to go to bed at night?
Are you a picky eater, or do you eat whatever is put in front of you?
Can you whistle?
Do you have any allergies that affect what foods you can eat?
Do you have any fears? If so, what are they, and why do you think you have them?
Can you blow a bubble? What’s the most giant bubble you’ve ever blown?
What’s your favorite thing to do with friends?
Do you like getting trophies and awards for doing well in something?
Do you enjoy going on hikes, walks, bike rides? Why or why not?
Are you a good singer?
Do you like to play games? If so, what’s your favorite type of game and why?
Are you always on the go? Or do you like staying in one place?
What are three things you are grateful for?
If you could travel back in time and relive one moment, what would it be and why?
Have you ever been lost? How did it make you feel?
What’s one thing that always lifts your spirits when you’re down?
What is your favorite thing in the whole wide world right now?

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20 Funny Questions for Kids

You can’t always ask kids serious questions. They will become bored quite quickly. That’s why we’ve listed 20 funny questions for kids. Keep the laughs coming.

If you could be a kangaroo or a hippopotamus, which would you choose and why?
If you owned a restaurant, would you serve a delicious mushroom worm pie or a snake soup?
Would you rather your farts smell like flowers or your breath like farts?
If you could travel to any planet, which would you choose and why?
If you could live in a treehouse or a beach hut, pick one and why?
What is the funniest name you can think of to name a kitty cat?
What is the silliest name for a dog you have ever heard?
If you had a parrot, what would you teach him to say?
What is the silliest thing about your parents or guardians?
Would you rather have three eyes or two noses?
Would you rather have five legs or five arms?
What’s the funniest word you can think of?
Would you rather have wheels or velcro for feet?
Remember a time you laughed so hard you almost peed your pants? What was so funny?
What’s the funniest movie you’ve ever seen?
Who is the funniest person in your life? What makes them so funny?
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
What two animals would you like to mix together for a pet?
What would make school more fun?
Can you tell me a joke?

The best questions to ask kids to get them to open up

Question of the Day for Kids

Question of the day for kids is a fun tradition to do a home or in the classroom. Each day ask the kids one question. I love to use the family conversation starters pack and ask one question each night at the dinner table.

If you could rename yourself today, what would your new name be?
If you could be the teacher, what subject would you teach?
What is the word of the day today?
What makes you the happiest?
What can you be grateful for today?
What is the best holiday you’ve ever had?
What is your favorite game to play?
What is the hardest thing about being a kid?
If you could rename your teacher for a day, what would their name be (no potty words)
If you could set one goal for today, what would it be?
What is your favorite day of the week?
What is your favorite meal of the day?
What is your favorite thing about the school day?
What can you do today to be kind?
What can you do today to make others laugh?
What does the perfect day look like?
What is the funniest word you can think of?
What two animals would you cross together?
If your pet could talk, what do you think it would say?
Why do you think the sky is blue?
How deep do you think the deepest ocean is?
What is the best gift you’ve ever received?
What is one thing that makes you smile?

Brain Break for Kids – Includes Would you Rather Questions

Would you Rather Questions for Kids

Would you rather questions for kids are always a hit. Kids love ’em, and adults do too. Go on; I bet you’ll have fun answering these questions as well.

Would you rather sleep with a dragon or a polar bear?
Would you rather be a fish or a bird?
Would you rather slide down a colorful rainbow or jump on a cloud?
Would you rather skydive or bungee jump?
Would you rather eat a worm or a spider?
Would you rather breathe fire or ice?
Would you rather have super speed or super strength?
Would you rather be invisible or be able to go back in time?
Would you rather eat cake for every meal or ice cream?
Would you rather live in a treehouse or a beach hut?
Would you rather be three years younger or three years older?
Would you rather be a super sports star or a rockstar?
Would you rather have a personal robot or a talking dog?
Would you rather be a mermaid or a dragon?
Would you rather go to the coolest amusement park or the biggest waterslide park?
Would you rather live in only summer weather or only winter weather?
Would you rather it be Christmas every day or your birthday every day?

brain breaks for kids with would you rather questions for kids — Printable Brain Break for Kids – For When Kids Need a Break!

Questions to Ask Kids After School

Parent: How was your day?

Child: Fine

Parent: What did you do today?

Child: I can’t remember

Sound familiar? Instead of beating your head against the wall, use one of these 20 questions to ask kids after school.

Who did you sit with a lunch?
What was your favorite part about recess?
Di you learn anything new that you didn’t already know?
Did anyone in your class get in trouble today?
What part of today was the best?
Tell me about one thing you learned today.
Did anything make you laugh today?
Of all your friends, who had the best lunch?
If you could pick anyone in your class to be the teacher for one day?
What’s the biggest difference between this year and last year?
Did you raise your hand today?
Is your desk messy or clean right now?
Did anything make you feel frustrated or sad today?
Did anyone do anything nice for you today?
Rate your day on a scale of 1 – 10, 1 being the worst day and ten the best.
Are you looking forward to anything about tomorrow?
If you could change any part of your day today, what would it be and why?
If you could spend 1,000 dollars on your class, what would you buy and why?
Would you like to switch seats with anyone in your class? Why?
Is there anyone you would like to get to know better at school?

Thinking Questions for Kids

What is one rule you would love to make at home?
If you won a million dollars, what would you do?
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
If you had a time machine, would you go to the past or the future?
If you could rename your family, what would their names be?
If you had three wishes, what would they be?
What’s the best dream you’ve ever had?
What do you think would be the most fun job in the world?
What do you think would be the worst job in the world?
If you were going on a beach vacation and could only bring three things, what would they be?
If you could pick any age to be right now, what age would it be and why?
If you could only have three toppings on your pizza, what would they be?
What are the best sundae toppings?
If you could invent anything, what would it be and why?
What is the nicest thing you have ever done for someone else?
What are you grateful for right now?
What makes you smile?
If you were to create a movie, what would it be about, and who would be the star?
If you could write a message in a bottle and release it into the ocean, what would you write?
Do you think your pets have dreams?
If you could be anyone for one day, who would you be and why?

Open-Ended Questions For Kids

Often when we talk to our kids, we are met with one-word answers, like “fine,” “Whatever,” “Sure,” “I don’t know.”

So the trick to expanding the conversation with our kids is to ask open-ended questions.

Check This Out!

I love this article on how to use questions to further your child’s development.

How to Ask Open Ended Questions

Open-ended questions are really more about how you phrase a question. For example, you could say:

“How was school today?”

…and be met with the answer, “Fine.”

Or you could say, “What was your favorite part of the day?”

It’s hard to answer that with a one-word answer. Although, you might get met with an “I don’t know.”

In that case, you will need to expand on the conversation. (And you can also expand on the conversation even if you get met with a reasonable answer, as the adult, it’s our job to keep the flow going). It could look something like this:

“You don’t know what your favorite part of the day was? I get it! It’s hard to pick just one thing. Did you prefer reading or math class today?”

Once they start talking, you can continue, “I agree, reading is much more fun than math; what is your favorite book? When I was young, my favorite book was Charlotte’s Web.”

You can continue leading the conversation this way.

Open-ended questions help your child:

find solutions
think deeply
increase connection.

Don’t forget to let your child know you ARE interested in what they are saying. Use leading phrases such as, “I’d love to hear about…” or “I find this so fascinating, tell me more…”

Pro Tips for Starting Open-Ended Questions

If you’re feeling a little unsure about how to use open-ended questions, here is a tiny cheat sheet of opening phrases:

“Tell me about that time…
“What should we do about.…”
“I find this fascinating, tell me more…”
“Why do you think…”
“I’d love to hear about…”
“What do you prefer…”

Don’t forget to snag your family conversation starters today.

Closed Questions for Kids Versus Open-Ended Questions

There is definitely a time and a place for closed questions for kids. Think, “would you prefer chicken or fish for dinner?” or, “did you hit your sister?” Be sure that you have the time and attention for the conversation when you initiate an open-ended question conversation with your kids.

Take a break

Brain Breaks for Kids

We’ve got 101 Brain Breaks for Kids, including movement, thinking, fun, would you rather, and tongue twisters.

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How to Engage Children in Conversations

Connect Before You Direct– Before asking your child to participate, squat to your child’s eye level, and engage your child in eye-to-eye contact to get their attention. You can say, “I need your eyes” or, “I need your ears.” (Use their name!)
Reduce Distractions – Turn off the T.V and put any iPhone or tablets away. Everyone in the family should come into the present moment. Why not even lock up the electronics for a set period of time?
Don’t Interrupt – This is very important. When someone is speaking you might have an urge to butt in and share a funny story or something that pops into your head. But please, wait your turn and give everyone a chance to share and talk.
Follow-up – Wait until whoever is speaking is finished and then respond with a question or a comment. You could respond, “Wow that’s really interesting, I didn’t know that about you.” I’d encourage parents to also answer the questions and encourage their kids to ask follow-up questions.
Show Respect – Always, always be kind and respectful
Listen & Respond – Show the person speaking that you are listening by nodding, smiling and looking at them.

My favorite two questions to ask kids

I like to ask these two questions every day before bed:

What is one thing that made you happy today?
What is one thing you are grateful for today?

Final thoughts on Getting To Know You Questions for Kids

Getting to know your children or students is ultra important to connect with kids and help them feel confident and understood. These questions are a great way to start conversations and learn a little more about what makes a kid tick.

Not only will this help you get closer, but it’ll also allow you to learn more about yourself as well.

Add your own getting to know your question below!

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Resources You’ll Love

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