There’s something so incredibly powerful about knowing your family’s story. Even more powerful, especially for kids, is hearing that family history directly from the people who lived it. Encourage your children to interview their older relatives and record their conversations. Not only will they get to practice basic life skills like communication, attention, and listening, but they’ll forge even deeper connections with their relatives. Over time, you’ll create a rich oral history that your entire family will value for years to come.
We’ve come up with 20 questions to get kids started, but they should feel free to veer off script! Ultimately, the goal is to have a true back-and-forth conversation. This is a great activity for a big family reunion, or on an everyday visit to Grandma’s house. Help your child keep track of the audio or video files with a simple naming convention that includes the name of the relative and the date.
Looking for more family history activities for kids? Have fun with our family tree craft or design your family’s coat of arms.
Family History Interview Questions for Kids
- Where did you grow up?
- What was your house like?
- Who were your brothers and sisters?
- Which ones were you closest too?
- What do you remember about your grandparents?
- How did you celebrate the holidays?
- What did your parents do for a living?
- What was your favorite subject in school?
- When did you learn to drive?
- What were you like as a teenager? Did you follow all the rules…or get in trouble?!
- What did you want to be when you grew up?
- What did you do for fun with friends, siblings, and your family?
- How did you meet your spouse/partner?
- What drew you to him/her?
- What’s the most surprising advance in technology that you’ve seen?
- What was one of the hardest things you had to overcome?
- What was one of your best experiences?
- What, if anything, do you wish you could change about the past?
- What would you never change?
- What do you hope people remember about you?
Want a printable, fill-in-the blank version of the Qs? We’ve got you covered!
