Question games: teaching kids to ASK, not only answer
Aylara A.
Kids' teacher · founder of AylaraTalks
Count who asks the questions in a typical lesson: the teacher, a hundred times; the students, almost never. Then we wonder why kids can answer 'What's your name?' but can't start a conversation. Flip the microphone — these games make asking the whole point.
Guessing forces questions
- Twenty questions lite — you think of an animal; they may only ask 'Is it big? Can it fly? Is it green?'
- Mystery bag — an object in a bag; every child must ask one question before anyone guesses.
- Who am I? — a flashcard 'crown' on the child's head (or above their webcam); they interrogate the class.
- Which card? — nine cards face up; one is secretly chosen. Questions narrow it down: 'Is it an animal? Is it red?'
Interview games
- Hot seat celebrity — the teacher 'becomes' a cat/superhero/dragon; kids interview you. Answer in character.
- Question ball — toss a soft toy (or 'throw' it through the camera); the catcher asks the next question.
- Wheel of questions — put question words (What/Where/Who/Can/Do) on the wheel; spin, build, ask.
- Parent interview homework — the child asks a parent three English questions and reports the answers next lesson.
The question ladder
Don't teach all question forms at once. Ladder: yes/no with intonation ('Cat?') → 'Is it…?' → 'Can it…?' → 'What/Where…?' → 'Do you…?'. One rung a month is fast progress; games above work on every rung with the same rules.
⭐ Take this with you
A child who can ask is a child who can start conversations, not just survive them. One guessing game and one interview game per week — and the microphone changes hands for good.
🎈 Put it into play
Everything here pairs with our free classroom games — no prep, no accounts.
About the author
Aylara A.
Kids' teacher · founder of AylaraTalks
Aylara is a kids' teacher who spent years hand-making every classroom game — cutting cards and drawing boards on paper sheets. She created AylaraTalks so no teacher has to start from a blank page again.