50 Conversation Starters for Your Little One

At dinnertime, do you find your family gravitating toward devices (TV, phones, iPad)? Try making mealtime (or another family time) more about connecting face-to-face — your little one needs it for their early childhood education and general development! Below are 50 conversation starters. You can print them out, cut them into strips, fold them, and put them in a basket or jar. Take turns pulling out a prompt around the table or during preschool at home. These questions are geared toward kids, but don’t forget to answer them yourselves! Open-ended questions are great for language development, early childhood education, and preschool at home, not to mention a great chance to learn about each other’s likes, dislikes, hopes, and dreams!

Here are some starter questions for your preschool at home classroom or just for around the table — feel free to create your own as well!

What was your favorite part of today?

What is your favorite food?

What is the best way to start the day?

What did you not like about today?

What snack do you like best?

What food is the yuckiest?

What is your favorite animal?

If you could be an animal, which would you like to be?

If your parents were animals, which would they be?

What would you like to do this weekend?

What is your favorite activity at the park or playground?

What is your favorite color?

What outfit do you like to wear best?

Who is your best friend?

What are some fun things that we do as a family?

What makes you happy?

What do you find scary, and why is it scary?

What makes you feel shy?

What made you laugh today?

What is your favorite knock-knock joke?

What do you love to do?

Do you prefer playing inside or outside, and why?

What kinds of arts and crafts do you like to make?

How can you tell if someone is your friend?

What do friends do for each other?

Is there anything you would like to change about your family?

What is your favorite movie to watch?

What is your favorite book to read?

Who is your favorite story character?

What is your favorite song to sing?

What is your favorite game to play?

What is your favorite toy?

What do you want to do for your next birthday?

What’s your favorite animal noise?

What would you make if you were making dinner?

What is your favorite place to go?

What do you think about school (or Online montessori preschool)?

What did you do today?

What’s something new you learned today?

If you could have a superpower, which would you like to have?

What do you think your pet (or a favorite stuffed animal) would say if it could talk?

What’s your favorite thing to do in the car?

Who gives the best hugs?

What is something you can now do all by yourself?

What do you dream about?

What does it feel like to share with others?

Who is your favorite grownup who’s not in your family?

If you had to give everyone in your family new names, what would they be?

What would happen if toys were real?

What are you really good at?

Engaging with your little one in conversation has so many benefits! You get to be an active part of their early childhood education learning experience, and can encourage the importance of language and communication even outside of the preschool at home classroom. Additionally, you get to learn more about your toddler as they learn, grow, and discover their own interests! It can be a great tool for bonding with your child. Work together with Playgarden to start preschool at home and help your child discover their love of language, conversation, and connection!

Try Our Online Preschool for FREE! Playgarden Prep offers early childhood education videos from real teachers, and numerous DIY projects that support early learning and development via preschool at home.