First Day of School Interview With Your Kids

One of our favorite back to school activities is the first day of school interview! This makes a great night before the first day of school tradition. I’m sharing how we do it and 20 interview questions to ask your kids.

We’re approaching a school year unlike any we’ve experienced. Whether you’re opting for homeschooling, virtual instruction or in-person learning, I know many parents are feeling like me: anxious, unsure, scared, hopeful. And, if you’re like me, you might be seeking any opportunity to make this school year special, memorable and to mark it as the milestone that it is: the beginning of a new chapter for your children…and you! So today I’m sharing a fun tradition for the first day of school. It’s fun, memorable and completely free.

When I was growing up, my dad would conduct interviews with my sisters and me every year on the night before the first day of school.

He’d have us take turns, sitting in a chair in the living room with the video camera all set up. No one else was allowed in the room to distract us when it was our turn. No TV. Just a conversation with Dad. It felt very grown up and official.

This is such a warm and fuzzy memory of childhood. I loved that this was his thing. His idea, his execution. I appreciate this so much now as a parent and I love having implemented the tradition with Penelope. I may even start it this year with Henry, as he is supposed to begin Pre-K.

So each year on the night before the first day of school, I set up the camera and we sit and chat and I ask her a bunch of questions, ranging from what she did this summer and who her friends are to what she wants to be when she grows up. Last year she talked for a solid 20 minutes and kept asking for more and more questions that I had to come up with on the fly! I don’t think my dad ever encountered that issue with us.

I think this is such a fun tradition to do with my kids and such a great way to preserve them in this moment in time, especially now more than ever. I plan to do this interview just like any other year, regardless of how the first day of school turns out (like if we are going in-person or virtual).

Don’t be afraid to write your questions down. I have mine in a list on my phone so I don’t run out of ideas or forget anything important. I’ll list a bunch of questions below to get you started!

First Day of School Interview Questions:

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If you do this with your kids please tell me about it! And if there are any questions they really loved answering!