Questions · First day of school
First day of school questions that get more than “fine”
Questions for the end of the first day: in the pickup line, over the after-school snack and at dinner, when kids are tired, wired and not in the mood to report.
- 17 questions
- EN + TL on every card
- Free in the app
Kumustahan is a bilingual conversation card app: 1,200 questions in English and Filipino across 7 decks, with a short reflection on the back of every card.
What made you laugh when you least expected it?
Ano ang nagpatawa sa'yo noong hindi mo inaasahan?
Give the scene a caption if you like.
Kung gusto mo, bigyan ng caption ang eksenang iyon.
The questions
17 first day of school questions
Every question in English and Filipino/Tagalog, word for word from the Kumustahan decks. Open “Back of the card” for the reflection printed on the other side.
In the pickup line
5 questions
Small, specific questions for a tired kid who just wants a snack.
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When you enter a new place, what’s one small thing you notice right away?
Kapag nasa bagong lugar ka, ano yung isang maliit na bagay na una mong napapansin?
Back of the card
What you notice first can hint at what makes a place feel interesting, calm, or welcoming to you.
Minsan clue yung una mong napapansin kung ano ang nakaka-curious, nakakapagpakalma, o nagpapagaan ng pakiramdam mo.
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Name one small part of today that felt okay.
Magbanggit ng isang maliit na part ng araw mo na okay naman.
Back of the card
An okay moment still counts. It does not have to fix the whole day to be worth noticing.
Bilang pa rin ang okay na moment. Hindi niya kailangang ayusin ang buong araw para mapansin mo siya.
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What made you laugh when you least expected it?
Ano ang nagpatawa sa'yo noong hindi mo inaasahan?
Back of the card
Give the scene a caption if you like.
Kung gusto mo, bigyan ng caption ang eksenang iyon.
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Which small kindness from other people do you notice right away?
Anong small kindness mula sa ibang tao ang napapansin mo agad?
Back of the card
It could be someone checking in, saving you a seat, helping quietly, or remembering a small detail. The kindness you notice may be the kind you needed before.
Puwedeng may nag-check in, nagtira ng seat, tumulong quietly, o nakaalala ng small detail. Baka yung kindness na napapansin mo ang kind na kinailangan mo dati.
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Tell us about one simple thing that can make your day better.
Ikuwento mo yung simpleng bagay na nakakapagpaganda ng araw mo.
Back of the card
Small things count because real days are mostly made of small things. Even a tiny lift can matter.
May bigat din ang simpleng bagay, kasi karamihan ng araw natin puro maliliit na moments. Kahit konting gaan, may halaga.
New faces
5 questions
About the kids they met, without asking “did you make friends?”
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Recall a moment when talking to a new friend started to feel easy.
Kailan ka nagsimulang maging komportable sa pakikipagkuwentuhan sa bago mong friend?
Back of the card
Remember the first thing you no longer felt shy about saying.
Balikan ang unang bagay na hindi ka na nahiyang sabihin.
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When joining a conversation, what helps you feel comfortable enough to take part?
Ano ang tumutulong para maging komportable kang sumali sa kuwentuhan?
Back of the card
You can invent a first line you would enjoy hearing when you join.
Puwede kang gumawa ng unang linyang gusto mong marinig kapag nakisali ka.
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Tell us about a friend who made you feel like you belonged.
Ikuwento yung friend na nagparamdam sa'yo na belong ka.
Back of the card
Inclusion can happen through one seat saved, one question asked, or one person making room on purpose.
Minsan isang upuang tinabi, isang tanong, o isang taong sinadyang magtabi ng space ang nagpaparamdam na kasama ka.
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How did your first impression of a friend change once you got to know them?
Anong first impression mo sa isang friend ang nagbago nang makilala mo sila?
Back of the card
You can finish: “I thought they were..., then I noticed...”
Puwedeng ituloy: “Akala ko..., tapos napansin ko...”
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Plan a hangout that a friend could bring a new friend to.
Kung magsasama ng bagong friend ang kaibigan mo, anong bonding ang ipa-plano mo?
Back of the card
Imagine the newcomer knows none of your old jokes. Your activity can still work.
Isipin na hindi alam ng bagong kasama ang dating mga biro ninyo. Puwede pa ring maging masaya ang activity.
Tomorrow, round two
5 questions
For bedtime, when day two is suddenly real.
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Name one thing that can wait until tomorrow.
Magbanggit ng isang bagay na puwedeng maghintay hanggang bukas.
Back of the card
Not everything needs today's strength. Letting one thing wait can be a practical kind of kindness.
Hindi lahat kailangan ng lakas mo today. Minsan praktikal na kindness yung hayaan munang maghintay ang isang bagay.
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What are you looking forward to over the next few weeks?
Ano ang inaabangan mo sa susunod na mga linggo?
Back of the card
Finish if you like: "The part I cannot wait for is..."
Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Ang pinaka-inaabangan ko ay..."
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Name one thing that would make next month feel a little lighter.
Magbanggit ng isang bagay na makakatulong para mas gumaan nang konti ang next month.
Back of the card
A lighter month does not have to mean a perfect one. Even one less weight can change how a season feels.
Hindi kailangang perfect ang mas magaan na month. Kahit isang bawas na bigat, iba na ang pakiramdam ng season.
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What have you done recently that you are pleased about?
Anong nagawa mo kamakailan ang ikinatuwa mo?
Back of the card
If your win had a tiny trophy, what would be written on it?
Kung may maliit na trophy ang nagawa mo, ano ang nakasulat dito?
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Share the first time you did something on your own and felt more capable afterward.
Ikuwento ang unang beses mong gumawa ng isang bagay mag-isa at naisip mong, "Kaya ko pala."
Back of the card
Finish if you like: "That was when I realized I could..."
Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Doon ko naisip na kaya ko palang..."
For the grown-ups
2 questions
Because the first day is a lot for parents, too.
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Pick one small thing lately that helped you breathe easier.
Pick one maliit na bagay lately na nakatulong sa'yo huminga nang mas maluwag.
Back of the card
Relief can be small and still be real. Notice what gave your body or mind a little more room.
Puwedeng maliit ang ginhawa pero totoo pa rin. Pansinin kung ano ang nagbigay ng konting luwag sa katawan o isip mo.
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Describe what you usually do when you feel emotionally or mentally full.
I-describe kung ano usually mong ginagawa kapag emotionally or mentally puno ka na.
Back of the card
Your first response to being full can teach you a lot. It may be asking for gentleness, space, or help.
May tinuturo yung unang response mo kapag puno ka na. Baka kailangan mo ng lambing, space, o tulong.
How to use them
Before you ask
The best first-day-of-school question is small and specific: what they noticed first when they walked into the classroom, one moment today that went all right, something that made them laugh when they didn’t expect it. “How was your day?” gets “fine”. A specific question gets a story.
Timing matters as much as the question. Many kids come out of the first day exhausted and need food and quiet before they can talk. Ask one light question in the car, then wait. The real answers often come at dinner, or at bedtime when the lights are off and day two suddenly feels real.
Don’t forget yourself. Dropping a kindergartner off for the first time, or watching a teenager walk into high school without looking back, is a big day for parents too. The last two questions are for you and whoever you talk to that night.
Good for
Tips
- Feed them first. Hungry kids don’t talk.
- Ask one question in the car and save the rest for later.
- Answer the same question about your own day. It makes it a conversation, not a debrief.
- If they say “nothing”, ask about one specific moment: lunch, recess, the bus.
- Take the first-day photo, then put the phone away for the pickup.
Decks for this
First day of school
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask my child after the first day of school?
Specific questions instead of “how was your day?”: what they noticed first in the classroom, one part of the day that felt okay, who seemed easy to talk to, and what they’re looking forward to tomorrow.
Why won’t my kid tell me about their day?
Usually they’re tired and the question is too big. Give them food and quiet first, then ask something small and concrete. Bedtime and car rides are often when kids open up.
Do these questions work for high schoolers?
Yes. They’re short and specific, which teenagers tolerate better than general check-ins. Ask one and let it go if they’re not in the mood.
Bring a better question to the table.
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