A simple conversation activity I designed as a follow-up to my previous post entitled “A Weekend Off”. It can be used with B1+ students. Students discuss various topics related to parenthood, kids and growing up. Download the handout below:
Put students in pairs or small groups and have them discuss the questions. Pause regularly to feedback in open class. The activity should generate a lot of emergent language.
Student Handout
- How does life change when you have kids?
- How can other family members help with childcare?
- What things do you think new parents miss about their old life?
What do you think are the biggest challenges for new parents?
- Feeling unprepared for parenthood
- Suffering from sleep deprivation
- A loss/lack of intimacy
- Changing dirty nappies/diapers
- Picking kids up from kindergarten/nursery
- Financial struggles
How is growing up different for:
- The first child?
- The middle child?
- The baby?
What position were you in your family?
What are some stereotypes associated with the different positions among siblings?
What are the pros and cons of being an only child?
What do children learn from having siblings?
What do you think is the perfect number of children to have?
- 1?
- 2?
- 3?
- 4?
- More?
What are the pros and cons of these stages of children’s lives?
- Babies (0-1)
- Toddlers (1-3)
- Kids (3-10)
- Pre-teens (10-12)
- Teenagers (13-18)
- Young adults (18-22)
What’s the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of each stage?