Thought Provoking Questions for Kids

Sometimes, a few thought-provoking questions to ask kids can get them talking. Or thinking. Both are a good thing. These critical thinking questions to ask kids to get them to observe the world around them is a great way to connect, inspire development, and generally enjoy asking each other some fun questions. Give them a try!

The best thought-provoking questions for kids

• The best thought-provoking questions for kids
• If you won a million dollars, what would you buy?
• What one thing, if anything, would you alter if you could travel back in time, and why?
• What superpower, if any, would you like to have, and why?
• Exists life elsewhere in the universe?
• What brand name would you give a new hue?
• What ten things can you do with a cup?
• Do you need instructors in school, or can you learn everything online?
• Is eating animals morally right?
• Should everyone make charitable contributions?
• Should kids have to wear uniforms at school?
• Should kids get to pick what they study in school?
• Do only virtuous kids receive gifts from Santa Claus?
• Since zoos are cruel to animals, should they be prohibited?
• Should kids be compensated for high grades?
• Is social media a positive or negative force?
• Should every youngster have a smartphone of their own?
• To an extraterrestrial, how would you explain a car?
• Describe a tree without using the words “green,” “plant,” or “leaves.”
• Describe the rectangle.
• What adjectives would you use to characterize an elephant besides animal, trunk, or grey?
• What are the top three things you believe you might perform better?
• What do you think happens to you once you pass away?
• Describe three new talents you picked up this year.
• How did you spend this day a year ago?
• Do you think fate or destiny exists?
• Do you believe that living a more prolonged or fuller life is preferable?
• Do you feel you are truly living, or are you only existing?
• Have you ever had an incident that left you baffled? Then what?
• Do you have any particular interests?
• What aspirations have you placed on hold in your life, and what can you do to rekindle these?
• Do you feel happier when you have money? Why, if so?
• What amount of money do you consider ideal?
• What unique talents do you have that you believe you might share with others to their advantage?
• Do you think that life is a better teacher than school?
• What do you believe caused the cosmos to exist?
• Do you believe it’s ok to lie? If so, when and why under those circumstances?
• Why do you believe that, ultimately, power corrupts?
• Do you think gender equality is actually practiced, or do you think it’s simply something that’s spoken about?
• What three things do you believe our culture could do to advance gender equality?
• What are the top three things that society could do to prevent violence and wars?
• What three things do you believe our community could do to eradicate prejudice and hatred?
• Identify the top five principles of human rights in your opinion.
• Despite their size, do you think that animals have feelings similar to ours?
• Do you believe that helping others is a necessary element of life? Why, if so?
• Do you think that time spent with friends and family is time well spent? Why, if so?
• How frequently do you express gratitude?
• Do you still harbor any resentments or animosity that you haven’t forgotten or forgiven?

Expert advice: Children who think about philosophy are more likely to achieve better academic results according to a study by Stephen Millett and Alan Tapper. These results shouldn’t be shocking to parents or adults, as those of us who think greater than ourselves often widen our perspective on the world and can create significantly more social impact.

Fun thought provoking questions for kids

• What are the three things that you believe your parents suffered with and are grateful you won’t have to?
• Do you think there is life after death or soul reincarnation?
• Do you believe that astrology is accurate? Why, if so?
• How much or how little do you believe we comprehend life?
• Do you think any modern religion, philosophy, or ideology has the last word on what life is really all about?
• According to you, what life event would make you the happiest in the future?
• Does a supervisor provide orders or set an example for people to follow?
• What brings you the most joy right now?
• When do you believe it is acceptable to breach the law?
• Which outdated laws do you believe should be changed or updated in the modern era?
• Do you believe that morality is more important than legality, or the other way around?
• Which threatened species do you believe will still be around in 100 years?
• How many people will you anticipate on the planet in 100 years?
• What environmental concerns do you believe your children may encounter throughout their lives?
• What would you do differently if the average human life span were double what it is now?
• How would you spend your life differently if individuals only lived to the age of 20?
• Would you ever choose to adopt a kid above having your own?
• Do you believe that it is ok for boys and men to cry?
• Do you think that girls are less skilled than boys in some areas?
• Should someone’s actions or attire be restricted or anticipated just because of their gender, color, or socioeconomic standing? Describe your response.
• What three-character qualities do you find most endearing in other people?
• Which three characteristics of your personality are you most pleased with developing?
• Do you believe that life would become monotonous if everyone followed the same religion, values, culture, and race?
• What two things, in your opinion, might women do to advance gender equality?
• Which two actions do you believe men could take to promote gender equality?
• Do you believe that individuals should have the right to express hate speech freely?
• Do you believe freedom is sometimes detrimental, such as when it is used to oppress or harm others?
• What societal concerns do you believe people will face the most difficulty with in fifty years?
• What attire do you anticipate being in style in 50 years?
• In 30 years, how do you envision personal electronics, cellphones, and computers to look?
• In your opinion, is it preferable to attempt and fail or to achieve and never make a mistake?
• Do you believe that kids should be praised for attempting and not simply for succeeding?
• What advice would you give them if you had kids of your own?

Deep thought-provoking questions for kids

• What spiritual convictions do you hold? Do you believe that suffering is an essential component of life? Why, if so?
• Do you believe that adversity is a vital part of life? Why, if so?
• Should all food waste be distributed to the underprivileged before it spoils?
• Do you believe it is improper for certain people to be denied citizenship because they lack a certificate?
• If you could live anyplace in the world, where would you like to live?
• Do you believe it is proper for us to divide ourselves into groups based on our preferences, worldviews, and cultural heritages?
• What three things in the world would you change if you could alter them and why?
• What significant lessons in life have you recently learned?
• How do you envision yourself to appear in 20 years?
• Do you believe more prosperous European nations should take a more active role in assisting in poverty reduction in formerly colonial countries?
• Do you believe women’s bodies and sexual identities are frequently exploited for commercial purposes?
• Do you believe some types of love are more self-satisfying than self-giving?
• Do you believe many people care more about their ego, wealth, and prestige than they do about the people around them?
• What do you actually believe success to be?
• Do you believe you can achieve success in areas other than earning money?
• Do you believe that morality or life achievement is more important?
• Do you believe that a lot of “successful” persons are morally corrupt?
• Which is preferable: a long life of little adventure or a short life of great experience?
• Is perfection ever genuinely achievable?
• Would it be better or worse if you could eliminate all destructive emotions?
• Is every life equally valuable, or should specific lives be protected more than others?
• Is it permissible to violate the law when there are exceptional circumstances?
• How would you conduct your life differently than you do today if no one cared what you did, good or bad?
• Have you ever made a snap decision that altered your life forever?
• Would you choose an easy life if you could?
• Is it OK to “fake it until you make it,” or is authenticity more important?
• Is it possible to be loyal to oneself and to others’ needs at the same time?
• When peer pressure is there, do you ever give in, even when it’s not what you want to do?
• Do you ever brag, even subtly, only to improve how other people perceive you?
• Do you adhere to any internal principles at all times?
• Do you suffer from phobias?
• Have you ever had an incredible event that led others to believe you are lying?
• What role would you play if there was ever a disaster in your community and everyone had to work together to rebuild?
• Who would you like to be like if you could be anyone in the world?
• What five items from your material belongings would you like to live with?

Expert advice: Harvard researchers suggest that the “environment of relationships” is good for children’s brain architecture, which helps to lay the foundation for academic performance, mental health, and general well-being. Building connections with children through questions can help to spark these positive signals in the brain.

Unique thought-provoking questions for kids

• Which would you choose: a million dollars now or a dollar that multiplied every day for three years?
• (Your adolescent will learn about compound interest from this.)
• In no more than five words, describe yourself.
• What would you offer if you had to give a present to everyone on the globe, but it had to be the same thing?
• Consider yourself the president, and you require the assistance of three people. Who and why would you choose?
• What one rule would you make everyone in the family observe if you could?
• Whom and where would you invite to supper if you could invite three individuals you don’t know?
• Why, in your opinion, is it preferable to have a few weaker abilities than many strong ones?
• What do you admire most about the best invention you’ve seen recently?
• What are the previous few days’ three tiny achievements that you’re most proud of?
• Imagine that you are the school’s teacher tomorrow. What three lessons would you impart to students to help them use education more effectively for their futures?
• What do you believe to be the world’s most challenging job, and why?
• Without mentioning the word “love,” how would you describe what it means to someone?
• Do you think you can or can’t purchase happiness with money?
• What did you gain from the worst incident that ever occurred to you, come to mind?
• What guidance might you give yourself if you could go back three years?
• What would you become renowned for if you could become famous as an adult?
• What would you accomplish with your time if you were financially secure enough never to need to work?
• Have you ever missed an opportunity that you now regret? They were what?
• What terrifies you the most?
• What do you consider to be your two most prominent strengths and weaknesses?
• What one action did you take on the last day to improve someone’s life?
• What has changed your life the most—for better or worse—and why?
• What do you do at night if you can’t sleep?
• Why are we so terrified of failing when our most incredible opportunities for development and learning arise from failure?
• What kind of product would you hoard if you knew it wouldn’t be available any longer?
• Do you have any negative habits you’d like to eliminate? Describe them.
• What talent would you wish to have without financial, physical, or other barriers?
• If you could change any family members perspective on something, what would it be?
• If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
• What do you think qualifies someone as being a “good friend” to you?
• Would you improve any favorite family tradition?

Expert advice: A study Gary L. Brase suggests that “no single normative standard will ever work for all types of thinking,” and refers to the importance of “deep thinking” as a “multi-modular framework for the mind overcomes several critical conceptual and theoretical challenges to our understanding of human thinking.” What does this mean? Thinking deeply is good for your mental health!

Thought provoking questions for kids (images to share)