Questions to Make Your Child Think

In Testing For Kindergarten, I promised to include questions that will make your child think for those of you doing the informal ability assessment on page 169. The questions that I’m using below come directly from Highlights Magazine, on their BrainPlay page, which is in every edition of the magazine. I HIGHLY recommend that you subscribe to this publication and do it regularly with your child. It is full of activities that build all 7 of the abilities kids need for both testing and school. Don’t throw them away because as you child gets older, she’ll be able to do activities in the magazine that she won’t be able to do when you first subscribe!

BrainPlay starts with easy question and they get harder and harder as you go along (just like an IQ test! Hmmm, imagine that?).

1. How are water, milk and orange juice alike? How are they different?
2. Which of these can be worn? Hat, boot, fish, ring, worm, belt, kite, lemon, bib, wristwatch, applesauce, robe.
3. Which has more legs, a bird or a cow?
4. Name something that is smaller than a tooth?
5. Where around you do you see a circle? A triangle? A rectangle?
6. Why do people grow gardens?
7. When you make a sandcastle, would you use wet sand or dry sand? Why?
8. Which are longer, your arms or your legs?
9. How many of these have you seen today? Frog, cup, mirror, apple, yo-yo, teapot, bus.
10. What is your favorite game to play with someone? What is your favorite game to play by yourself?
11. Rumble, rumble. Name two things that might make that sound.
12.. How many numbers are on a clock? Are the numbers the same on all clocks?
13. Name something you can make with clay and something you cannot.
14. Would you rather use a fork or a spoon to eat ice cream? A boot or a slipper to keep your feet dry? Why?
15. What does it mean to rest?
16. A sponge absorbs water. Name something that doesn’t.
17. How are bubbles like balloons? How are they different?
18. What could you find by using a dictionary? A road map? A phone book? A globe?
19. Coconut, cucumber, papaya. Besides being names of foods, what do these words have in common?
20. Which neighboring state is closest to your home?
21. “My birthday party is going to have an animal theme,” said Lucas. Name some things besides parties that might have themes.
22. How is your image in the mirror different from your image in a photo?
23. Name something that scares you. What makes that fear go away?
24. Tell something you know about a career as a teacher. A plumber. A photographer. A songwriter.
25. Name some things that affect how much an item costs.
26. How do people find out what is happening in the world? Name as many ways as you can.
27. When might you like someone’s help? When might you not?
28. “That’s amazing, but no one will believe it,” said Devon. What might Devon have seen?
29. Why might museums need to keep some documents and paintings in climate controlled areas?
30. What has been your proudest moment? Why?