25 questions kids can ask grandparents

Good questions kids can ask grandparents are concrete enough to picture: “What did you play outside?” is an easier starting point than “Tell me about your life.” Choose one question, let the grandparent tell a short story, and leave room for the child to share something too.

You can use these on a visit, over a call, or in a voice message. A child who cannot read can have a parent read two choices and pick their favorite. Nobody needs to work through the whole list.

When you were little

1. What was your favorite toy?
2. What games did you play outside?
3. Did you have a pet? What was it like?
4. What did you like to eat for breakfast?
5. What made you laugh when you were my age?

Try a follow-up: “Can you show me how you played?” A remembered hand game or funny voice gives the child something to join in with.

Your home and school

6. What did your bedroom look like?
7. How did you get to school?
8. What did you do at recess?
9. What was something you liked learning?
10. Where did you go when you wanted to play?

Try a follow-up: “Was it like mine?” Compare one detail, such as sharing a bedroom or taking a bus, without making either childhood sound better.

Our family

11. What was my parent like as a kid?
12. What is a funny thing our family used to say?
13. Is there a food our family likes to make together?
14. What did you like doing with your grandparents or another grown-up?
15. Is there an old photo you would like to tell me about?

Try a follow-up: “Who is in that picture?” Let the grandparent choose a photo and story they are comfortable sharing. Family histories differ, and it is always fine to skip a question.

Things you love now

16. What do you like looking at outside your window?
17. What song do you like singing?
18. What is something you enjoy making?
19. What is something new you would like to try?
20. What was a good little moment in your day?

Try a follow-up: “Can I show you mine?” A conversation about today's bird or drawing can feel just as personal as a story from long ago.

Things we can imagine together

21. If we could have a picnic anywhere, where would we go?
22. What animal would make the funniest neighbor?
23. If we opened a shop together, what would we sell?
24. What would you put in a secret clubhouse?
25. What should we do together next time we see each other?

Try a follow-up: Draw the answer or add one silly detail. These questions can become a game when neither person feels like a serious conversation.

A simple way to begin

A parent might say: “Lou wants to ask you one question. What was your favorite toy when you were little?” The grandparent can answer with one small scene: what the toy looked like, where they played with it, and what they liked doing.

Then offer the child a turn: “Do you have a toy you'd like to show Grandma?” Avoid testing whether they remember the story. The point is sharing time, not completing an interview.

Save a story only if everyone wants to

If you want to record an answer or keep a voice message, ask the grandparent first and explain who will be able to hear it. Keep family stories within the circle you agreed on. A parent can help a young child decide what to share.

You can also simply listen. A conversation does not need to become a keepsake.

When one question is enough

Stop while the exchange still feels comfortable. If the child answers with a laugh, a sound, or a drawing rather than words, that can be their contribution. Try another question another day.

For playful alternatives, try video-call games with grandparents. For days when you cannot talk live, start a small routine between calls, or browse more long-distance activities.