My husband always marvels at how much I talk to people. I can’t tell you how many times he has said to me, “Don’t you ever get tired of talking?” to which I quickly answer, “I don’t talk that much, I mostly ask questions and listen.” And when I am in that mood, (which is pretty much all the time,) anybody is fair game. I love visiting with friends, fans and even total strangers. I especially love talking to women from every conceivable walk of life and hearing their stories, their hopes, and their dreams. I especially love women much older than I am and love learning their knowledge of the past, their visions of the future and the wisdom they can impart. But the most fun I have is talking to kids. My husband says I am a pro a it. I can carry on a conversation with a four-year-old for an hour by just asking questions. And I totally love talking to high school and college kids. When I come across a moody, broody silent type, I take it as a personal challenge to turn them into a Chatty Cathy… and I always do. Oh sure, at first, when I start asking, they shrug their shoulders and even try to answer in one syllable words and grunts, but I inevitably win them over.
Whether it’s a gift or a learned skill, I have it and my hubby doesn’t. When the grandkids come over, after giving them all a big hug and saying hi, and two minutes of pleasantries, he starts to panic, and hollers out to me “Grandma???? So, this summer, prior to the kids coming I decided to make him a list of 50 questions to keep the kids talking. My list is in no order, (because conversations rarely are either in my world…I’m rather random!) and neither are they arranged by ages of kids. But it is a pretty good list to help him to keep things rolling.
When one of my girlfriends walked in and saw my list, she begged for a copy of it to use with her own grandkids. It was she who suggested I share it with you too. So, take it for what it’s worth and adapt where needed. Keep in mind I really love the idea of kids knowing where they come from. I often not only ask them what they want, like or do but what their parents and grandparents want. I also quiz them as to whether they know what I like, want or do. I think it’s great to expand their family knowledge. So, here it is. I hope it will spark conversations with your kids and grands too.
- What’s your favorite food?
- What is your favorite dessert?
- What dessert is no temptation for you at all?
- What your favorite restaurant? What recipe do you wish you had?
- What is something I always say to you?
- What are your hobbies? Do you know what mine is?
- What is your favorite sport or exercise? Do you know what I do?
- What do you enjoy doing with me?
- If that dog (cat, bird, horse…) could talk, what would it say?
- What is your favorite color? What is your least favorite?
- What did you eat for lunch yesterday?
- If you could choose ANYWHERE to go to college, where would you go?
- What Will you study at college?
- Do you know what I studied? Gramps? Mom and Dad?
- What is the best book you ever read?
- What is the worst book you’ve read?
- Which is the best animal for a pet? Name?
- What did you do today to be kind to someone?
- How old do you think I am? Grandpa? What year were we born?
- How old is Mom? How old is Dad? Birthdates?
- How old aunts, Uncles, Grandparents?
- What is Mom’s favorite food? Dads? Yours?
- What time do you think is best to wake up in the morning on a day off?
- How tall am I? Your Dad? Your Mom? Me?
- What’s the funniest word you know? Longest word?
- What’s your favorite church song? Rock song?
- What lullaby will you sing to your kids?
- What song drives you nuts?
- What are your favorite movies? (You can pick one Animation and one with real actors)
- What movie have you watched more than three times? (How many times?)
- If you built a house when you grow up what would it look like?
- How many kids are you going to have when you get older? What will you name them?
- Where did your name come from? Why did your parents choose it?
- Do you know where my name came from? Other relatives’ names?
- If you couldn’t have your name, what would you name yourself?
- What would you want to get your brother/sister if money was no object?
- Do you like Grocery Shopping? Clothes Shopping? Shoe Shopping? Hardware Store? (Why/Why Not)
- What class do you like most at school? Why? Least favorite? Why?
- What car are you going to drive when you grow older? Color?
- Look at that funny picture. What titles/captions would you give it?
- Where in the world would you want to travel to and why?
- Camping in the wild or Lux hotel?
- Are you more a beach person or mountain person? Pick one and why?
- What would be the ideal job when you grow up?
- What Household chore do you dislike the most? What don’t you mind doing?
- What food grosses you out?
- Do you know what one food I dislike? Grandpa? Mom? Dad? Siblings?
- What is your greatest gift or talent?
- What gift or talent would you like to strive for?
- What would you do with that gift?
