Children love asking questions – they ask questions about virtually everything and almost all of the time. Studies say the average child asks up to 300 questions in a single day. Some of them are even just repetitions, and you’d already answered them! Pheew!

But how about switching places? So, rather than looking for ways to dodge or ignore the questions or roll your eyes with an exhausted expression, you get to be the one asking the questions! Yes, that means your kid now will do more of the talking. Sounds like a fun challenge? Yes, we thought so too.

And, no, we’re not talking about the regular “How was your day” routine questions.

But before we jump into the fun ways to get your child talking, it’s important to point out it’s actually a good thing when your kid asks lots of questions. So, don’t discourage him or her. Encourage the child to ask more questions, not fewer. When you answer the questions, it helps to open and sharpen the child’s mind.

Since children are good imitators, turning the tables in conversations with them will help you model to them how to ask good questions and get good answers. Let’s start:

1. What do you often think about when idle, like when you’re lying on the bed and not asleep?

2. What makes you happy?

3. What happened today in school?

4. What fun thing did your teacher ask everyone in the class to do today?

5. What did your friends do today?

6. What would you have rather loved to do at the moment and why?

7. What is your best cartoon character and why?

8. What else do you like on TV besides cartoon and why?

9. If we were at the mall together and you had money to buy things, what 5 things would you buy first?

10. If you see someone you love sad, what would you do?

11. How does it make you feel when I hug or peck you on the cheek?

12. If your teddy bear could talk, what would you tell him?

13. If you had a thousand naira to give, who would you give it to?

14. What do you like giving to people?

15. If you were the one to cook in the kitchen, what meal would you like to prepare instead?

16. What did you dream about last night?

17. What do you always wish we could do when I take you out?

18. What is your best song?

19. Where do you wish we could go together?

20. If you stayed outside for the whole day, what would you do?

21. What do you like most about going out together?

22. What irritates you?

23. Tell me about the day you remember fondly. What made it special?

24. Who is your best friend and why do you think he or she is awesome?

25. What makes you so awesome?

26. What is your best time of the year? Christmas? Easter? School hol? School field trip time?

27. If your best friend travelled and you want to speak with him or her, how would you keep in touch?

28. If I want to buy you a pet, what would you choose? Puppy? Kitten? Parrot? Rabbit?

29. What would you name your pet?

30. What would you do with the pet?

31. If your teacher asked you to teach the class, what would you teach?

32. What is the best food you have eaten and what was the worst?

33. What things do adults around you help you with that you really would have loved to try doing it yourself?

34. What have you seen or been told that surprised you a lot?

35. If you had to be in charge of the home for a day, will you make new rules and what will they be?

36. What do you think was the best gift I bought for you?

37. What was the worst?

38. What would you like to be when you grow up?

39. Is there something you think I might not know about you?

40. What do you think really makes me happy?

Some children may not find the exercise fun initially as you do, but that shouldn’t worry you. The trick is to not rush your kid. Let the child answer any questions that excite him or her and skip whichever one that doesn’t tickle his or her fancy. As the adult, move on to the next question quickly so the fizz in the conversation doesn’t die out. You may want to give your own answer to some of the questions too to keep the energy going; but ultimately, stick to the plan. Remember, it’s also a fantastic way to light up and push your own creativity and imagination, and to start learning again how to think outside the box!

http://theischooler.com/2019/06/23/40-fun-questions-to-get-your-kid-talking/


Cc: Lalasticlala