Top 50 Open-Ended Questions for Sparking Conversation With Kids

Asking open-ended questions is a great way to get information from and bond with your children. They encourage more conversation than closed questions, which can be answered by a simple yes or no. Practice with these type of questions and you'll build a better relationship with your child.

Click here for great ways to use open ended questions.

Here are my favorite 50:

1. What is the most amazing thing about you?
2. Which of your friends do you think I like the most? Why?
3. What would be the ideal allowance and how you spend use it?
4. Tell me about the best teacher you ever had?
5. If a genie would give you only one wish, which would you pick, and why?
6. When you feel sad, what cheers you up?
7. What punishment have I given you that you thought was really unfair? Why?
8. If you could change three things about yourself, what would they be?
9. What kinds of lies do your friends tell their parents?
10. What are the qualities that make a good friend?
11. Tell me about your favorite toy when you were little?
12. Tell me about something I never knew you did when you were little.
13. What do you say to comfort yourself when something scares you?
14. If you could decorate our whole house, what would it look like?
15. Looking at your pictures, when have you been the cutest so far?
16. What do you think are the characteristics that make a good parent?
17. What kind of sex education do you think kids ought to get in school?
18. What is the most enjoyable thing our family has done together this year?
19. At what age do you think kids fall in love?
20. What do you think is beyond the stars?
21. What is the nicest thing a friend has ever done for you?
22. Name two things we should do as a family on the weekend.
23. How do you think kids are affected by divorce?
24. Who is the meanest kid you know? Why?
25. Do you believe in heaven? If not, why? If so, what do you think it's like?
26. If you were going to have a weird, unusual pet, what would it be?
27. Do you think honesty is always the best policy? Why or why not?
28. What have you done, in school or sports or anywhere, that you are especially proud of?
29. Which of your friends are you proudest of? Why?
30. Have you ever had a dream that really scared you? What was it about?
31. Describe the most beautiful place you have ever visited?
32. How do you describe me to your friends?
33. Have you ever gotten really lost? If so, tell me about it. How did you feel?
34. Do you think you live in a dangerous neighborhood? Why or why not?
35. Not counting our religion, which religions do you find interesting? Why?
36. What is the grossest thing you can think of?
37. Is there anybody in history that you have read about that you would like to be?
38. What do you think is the right age for marriage? Why?
39. Tell me three things you remember about kindergarten.
40. What kids are popular in your grade? What do you think makes a person popular?
41. Has anyone ever tried to give you drugs? If so, what did you do?
42. If you knew a friend of yours had stolen something, what would you do about it?
43. If you could trade lives with somebody you know, who would it be?
44. How do you think you would feel if you thought you were going to be the first person to meet someone from outer space? What would you say or ask?
45. What would you do if you were invisible for a day?
46. What is your very earliest memory as a very little kid?
47. Do you think any of our neighbors are scary?
48. Do you ever have a dream that comes back over and over? If so, what is it like?
49. Why do you think some people don't like animals?

And the all time family favorite - What would you do if you won the lottery - the BIG one.

We love to play with this last question in our house, which is hilarious because we don't play! But it's still nice to ponder how we'd spend our time if money were no object.