One of the best ways to get to know your students is to ask questions.
But of course, they need to be the right questions.
Aim for open-ended, intriguing questions that will get your students to think deeply if you are using them as writing prompts and to interact if you are using them as discussion prompts.
Here are twenty good questions to ask elementary students. You might be surprised at what you will learn!
Getting to Know You!
Click here for this question picker and digital activity!
- At what age is a person an adult? Why do you think so?
- If could change one rule that your family has, what would you change?
- What is something that makes your family special?
- Of all the things you are learning, what do you think will be the most useful when you are an adult?
- Are you a good friend? Why do you think so? Why did your best friend choose you?
- How would the world be different if animals could talk?
- Would you cheat on a test if you knew you would not get caught? Why or why not?
- If you could grow up to be famous, what would you want to be famous for?
- If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?
- What is the best gift you have ever given? Why was it so special?
- What is the hardest thing about being a kid?
- If you were a teacher, and the kids in your class would not listen to you, what would you do?
- Where is your favorite place in the world?
- If you could give one gift to every single child in the world, what gift would you give?
- If you could travel back in time three years and visit your younger self, what advice would you give yourself?
- What five words do you think most describe you?
- If you could invent something that would make life easier for people, what would you invent?
- When was a time that you felt lucky?
- What is your favorite family tradition?
- If you could make one rule that everyone in the world had to follow, what rule would you make? Why?
Just Press Pause!
Randomly Choose A Question!
Click here to grab a free activity that includes these 20 questions! This fun question game can be used with or without technology!
BONUS QUESTIONS:
- If you had a million dollars, what would you spend it on?
- What do you think could increase the average human life span?
- If you could live your life differently would you? Why?
- Is there such a thing as a perfect person? Why or why not?
- What do you think has been a defining moment in your life?
Question Types:
Looking specifically for social questions for kids? Try # 6, 11, 14, or 17.
Looking specifically for questions for family members: Try #3, 10, or 20.
Get More Writing Prompts!
Related Posts:
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- 20 End of the Year Reflection Questions: Great for the students!
- Exploring “Would You Rather…” Questions: Learn about the benefits of “Would You Rather” questions and how to use them effectively with kids.
- We have WYR Questions for After Winter Break, Valentine’s Day, End of the Year and Summertime, and Spring or Easter!
- 6 Creative Ways to Use Questions: Dive into a variety of strategies for incorporating questions into your classroom or home environment to boost learning.
- 20 Reading Response Questions for Any Book: Enhance reading comprehension and inspire engaging discussions with these versatile response questions.
- Spring Writing Prompts: Tons of fun ideas to get your students writing!
LOVE this! These questions are a great way to get some intelligent discussion going when it seems that conversation has been exhausted!
I agree with u too
Wow, what fabulous questions! I do a lot of discussing real life issues with my kids, and these questions are just the kind I like – I think I'll print these out. Thanks!
So glad they have found a home with you. I hope they spark some great conversations!
I think these questions would make great journaling topics for my boys.
Thezz are very smart questions and my younger kuzins answered all thezz questions smartly
Very smart and interesting questions for kids. Thank you very much.
Thanks, this is really a great list of interesting questions to ask your child. I started with one of them already and had a long discussion with my son today 🙂
By the way, when it is the other way round and your kid is asking you tough questions: I have recently found a new site, Explain it to Me. You can ask any question there and get it answered by the community as if you are a five year old.
So you can either find some ideas how to answer a tough question, or just browse what others have asked 🙂
wowwwwwwwww its so funny
Thanks Bunches! We used on sylaslikestoblog.blogspot.com
These questions are great! They will be so helpful for a take our children to work day event I am helping with.
The!!
Love your questions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Always looking for new ideas the first day of school.
I have been teaching for 25 years and want the students to have a fabulous day when they enter the classroom in September.
I agree I have been wanting questions to ask other people but I cant ever think of any
Totally Agree!!
Thank you very much . Your questions are very inspirational !!!!
Thank you for sharing your 20 Questions! I plan to use this with my high school advisory class.
my kids like the discussion, Our new favorite website we really ❤️ it. Thank you for sharing!!!
The other day my son told me he couldn’t wear a certain colour because it was a “girl colour” so I told him I didn’t know there were such colours etc. In my grade 3 class this week, I asked this questions because we were preparing for Pink Shirt Day. This question brought on a good discussion.
Talks with your kids are crucial in building a strong and trusting relationship. Just a simple: How are things? will not do anymore. You have to dig deeper, but not push your kid away.
Thanks for the amazing tips you’ve collected here. I also have a few/ Take a look here https://aliciaortego.com/questions-to-ask-kids/