20 Things to Ask Instead of “What Did You Do Today?”
By Sarah Bradford
I used to pick my son up from preschool covered in paint, dirt, and sand; all signs of a busy and well spent morning. As we drove home I would enthusiastically ask what he did that day and his answer was always the same...nothing! I learned I needed to be much more creative in how I started the discussion if I wanted to learn more about his morning at school. If you’re finding yourself in a similar situation, a rotation of these 20 conversation starters might help.
- What color did you paint with?
- What did you make or build?
- What made you laugh?
- What friend looked happy?
- What friend looked sad?
- Who did you help?
- Who helped you?
- What made you feel excited?
- What made you feel frustrated?
- What do you wish you could do again?
- What was the best part of the day?
- Who did you play with?
- Who do you want to play with tomorrow?
- Was it anyone’s birthday?
- Was anyone absent?
- Who did you sit next to during circle time?
- What was your favorite thing for snack?
- What was the story about?
- What songs did you sing?
- What are you excited to do next time?
Sarah Bradford is the Director at Valley Parent Preschool in Danville, California. She can be reached at sarah@valleyparent.org