Have you ever asked a child “How was your day?” and been met with “good.” You’re not alone.
Recounting daily events is a complex communication skill that requires children to organise their thoughts, remember key details and use sequencing language.
These school holidays, when your family have more relaxed routines and shared experiences, it is the perfect time to gently build your child’s ability to share and retell their day.
Here are some fun and practical ways to support recounting skills at home.
Be specific
Instead of asking: “What did you do today?”-a broad, open-ended question.
Try asking a question that is specific, so that your child knows what information they need to share:
- “What was the funniest thing that happened today?”
- “Tell me one thing that made you smile today.”
- “What’s something new you tried today?”
- “Who did you play with at the park today?”
These prompts give children a clear starting point.
“Gamify” the interaction
Highs & Lows: Everyone shares their favourite (high) and least favourite (low) part of the day.
Conversation cards: Write prompts on paper slips and take turns picking one (e.g., if you could have any pet in the world, what would you choose?).
Dice rolls: Roll a dice and match each number to a question (e.g., 1 = who were you with? 2 = where did you go?).
Sticky note adventure: Write prompts on sticky notes and scatter them around the house during a treasure hunt/adventure activity.
Take photos
Take photos during your day (at the park, baking, visiting family).
As part of your child’s nighttime routine, look through the photos together and ask:
- “What’s happening here?”
- “Who did you see?”
- “What happened next?”
Visual supports can help children remember specific details and organise their thoughts more easily.
Take the lead. Model how to recount.
Children learn a lot from listening. Share your own recounts about your day.
Keep it simple, structured, and clear. You’re showing them how to tell a story.
Celebrate effort, not perfection
Focus on what your child does share, not what they miss.
Instead of correcting, add to the information they’ve already given to you.
- “Went to park” → “That’s right, you went to the park with Grandma!”
Positive interactions and encouragement build confidence.
The school holidays don’t need to be packed with activities to be meaningful. Even simple, everyday moments, like a trip to the shops or playing in the backyard, can become great opportunities for connection and communication.
So next time you’re tempted to ask, “How was your day?”, think about how the questions you ask can support your child to share meaningful parts about their day.
You might be surprised by what you hear!
How can we help?
If your child is having difficulty with their language and communication skills and you think paediatric speech pathology could, then please contact us.
We combine your insights about your child with evidence-based therapy to help develop your child’s communication skills and gain confidence.
Disclaimer
All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.
