When you and your family sit around the dinner table, what do you talk about? It’s easy the let the adults do the talking when kids are feeling less than chatty, but it’s important to help kids be part of the conversation. Talking together during family dinners can boost their self-esteem, and according to the Family Dinner Project, talking to children during dinner is even better than reading to them as a way to boost their vocabulary.

So, how do you encourage them to get talking? Here are 10 questions to inspire conversation with your kids.

1. What was something you learned today?
2. How did you help someone today?
3. What’s something that made you laugh today?
4. What was the hardest part of your day?
5. What was the best part of your day?
6. If you could have any wild animal as a pet, which would you choose and why?
7. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
8. Can you guess the ingredients in the meal tonight?
9. What’s one thing you want to learn?
10. What are you excited about for tomorrow?