October 18, 2026 · 3 min read

Questions that turn a story into a conversation

A good story ends where the conversation begins. Simple questions to ask your child after listening, for younger and older listeners.

The moment a story ends is one of the best times to talk with a child. They’re still inside the story, full of feelings and questions. A single good question can turn ten minutes of listening into a conversation you’ll both remember.

You don’t need to know all the answers. Often the best thing to say is “I’m not sure. What do you think?”

For younger listeners (about 4 to 8)

• What was your favourite part?
• Who was the bravest person in the story? What did they do?
• How do you think they felt when that happened?
• What sound did you like best?
• If you were in the story, what would you have done?
• Can you tell the story to me? (Or to a grandparent, or a toy.)

For older listeners (about 9 to 15)

• Was that fair? Who do you think was right?
• Why do you think people have told this story for so long?
• What does the story say about courage, or honesty, or keeping a promise?
• Do you know a different version? How is it different?
• Does anything like this happen in real life today?
• Is there a character you felt sorry for, even if they did something wrong?

A few tips

• Ask one question, not ten. Then really listen to the answer.
• Don’t correct the story. If your child remembers it differently, ask them about their version.
• Share your own memory. “When I was your age, my grandmother told me this one…” is one of the best ways to pass on a tradition.
• Come back to it. Bring the story up again on the festival day, or at the temple, or when you see a lamp or a snake or a monkey.

Every Banyan Stories episode ends with a question for the family, and there’s always more to talk about. You’ll find all the episodes on the podcast page.