Skip "How Was School?" Try These 6 Questions with Preschoolers

Asking specific, open-ended prompts can help parents hear more about what young learners noticed, tried, and enjoyed during their school day. These conversations can also reinforce classroom lessons.

GREENVILLE, S.C., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After a full day of classroom activities, play, meals, and interaction, preschoolers may have a lot to remember but little idea where to begin.  When a parent asks, "How was school?", they may not know which part of the day to start with. Tami Nix, president of Archway Academy, with more than four decades of hands-on experience in early childhood education and school operations, recommends using specific questions that give children one moment, activity, or experience to recall.

Direct questions about activities, interactions, or discoveries can start conversations about language, problem-solving, friendships, curiosity, and emotions. They can also help parents learn which parts of the day stood out without turning the ride home or dinner table into another lesson. "Young children may need a specific prompt to help them describe their day," said Nix. "Or, asking their favorite part of the day is a no-pressure way to get into some details."

Archway Academy educators recommend trying one of these six questions:

1. What did you make, build, or explore today? This question can help children recall a hands-on activity and describe the decisions they made. Parents can follow the child's interest with a simple prompt such as, "How did you decide what to do first?" or "What would you change next time?"
2. What surprised you today? A surprise gives children a specific moment to recall. Their answer may lead to a new fact or an unexpected activity.
3. What made you laugh? This offers a low-pressure way to begin with a positive emotion. It can also help parents hear more about friendships, shared play, and social moments.
4. What felt a little tricky, and what did you try? Combining the challenge and the response invites children to describe how they approached a problem, asked for help, or tried another idea. This conversation can also create an opening for parents to suggest positive problem-solving ideas.
5. Who did you play or learn with? This question can open a conversation about classmates, cooperation, and group activities. A follow-up such as, "What did you do together?" gives the child another concrete detail to describe.
6. Did you hear or learn a new word? Young children learn an average of 9 new words a day, according to a review published on WIREs Cognitive Science. Parents can ask what the word means, where the child heard it or whether they can use it together in a sentence.

"If you ask a yes-or-no question, you may get a one-word answer," Nix said. "Open questions give children more room to tell you what stood out to them." One question, followed by time to think and genuine follow-up, builds conversational skills and reinforces classroom learning. Sharing a small detail from the adult's own day first or asking about a specific activity the parent knows occurred can also give a young child an easier starting point.

"The goal is not to get through a list of questions," Nix said. "It is to make space for your child to tell you what mattered to them that day."

About Archway Academy

When Tami Nix had the opportunity to acquire a small childcare business in 1985, she saw the foundation for something more than traditional daycare. More than 40 years later, Archway Academy has grown into a multi-site South Carolina early childhood education organization serving children from infancy through four-year-old kindergarten (4K), along with after-school and summer programs. Archway Academy's approach focuses on preparing the whole child through hands-on learning, trained teachers, parent involvement, and age-appropriate experiences that support children socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. Its newest campus in Greenville extends that approach across approximately 4.5 acres of park-like outdoor space. For more information, visit Archway Academy.

Reference

• Samuelson, L. K., & McMurray, B. (2017). What does it take to learn a word? Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science, 8(1–2), e1421. doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1421

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SOURCE Archway Academy