IELTS Speaking Questions: Childhood Activities
Childhood activities questions in Part 1 look back at your own early years: what you played, where, with whom, and which activities you still enjoy. These questions are often in the past tense, so a direct answer in the right tense plus one specific memory is enough.
Part 3 turns the same theme abstract and societal, asking how children’s play is changing, what activities help them develop, and how parents and schools can guide them. Prepare two or three real memories from your own childhood, plus one clear opinion on how children spend their time today, rather than a memorised answer.
Part 1 questions
Short, personal, present-tense. Answer the question directly first, then add the one detail the tip suggests — the extension is what separates a one-line answer from a Band 7 one.
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Do you still enjoy any activities from your childhood?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name one activity.
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What activities did you enjoy most as a child?
How to extend itName one activity, then say what made it fun.
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Where did you usually play when you were young?
How to extend itName the place, then add one detail about it.
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Did you prefer playing indoors or outdoors?
How to extend itPick one, then give a reason from your childhood.
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Who did you usually play with?
How to extend itName a person or group, then describe a typical game.
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Did you play any sports as a child?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name the sport and where.
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Did you do any creative activities, such as drawing, as a child?
How to extend itAnswer directly, then describe one thing you made.
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Did you have a favourite toy or game?
How to extend itName it, then say why you liked it.
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Do you remember who taught you your favourite childhood activity?
How to extend itName the person, then say how they helped.
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Do you think children today play differently from the way you did?
How to extend itContrast then with now in one extra sentence.
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What activities do you think are good for children?
How to extend itName one activity, then give a reason for it.
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Would you like your own children to do the same activities?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then explain what you would change.
Part 3 questions
The same topic, pitched at the abstract level the examiner moves to after your cue card. These want reasoning — a position, a cause, an example, a concession — not a description of your own life.
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Which activities are most important for children's development?
How to structure itName one activity, then explain what it develops.
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Do children play outdoors less than they used to?
How to structure itState a view, then give one likely cause for it.
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How has technology changed the way children spend their spare time?
How to structure itName the main change, then one concrete effect.
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Should parents limit how much time children spend on screens?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one practical concern.
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Are organised activities better for children than unstructured play?
How to structure itCompare the two, then say which matters more.
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Do boys and girls usually enjoy different activities?
How to structure itGive a view, then suggest where the difference comes from.
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What can schools do to encourage children to be active?
How to structure itSuggest one measure, then explain how it would help.
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Do the activities people enjoy as children influence their careers later?
How to structure itState a view, then support it with an example.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of children having many after-school activities?
How to structure itCover both sides, then say which matters more.
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How might children's activities change over the next few decades?
How to structure itPredict a trend, then explain what drives it.
Say the answers out loud, then sit the whole test
Reading a question and answering it are different skills. Work through the list above aloud, then put the topic inside a full timed test where you cannot stop to think.
- Describe a person who taught you a skill Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Describe a skill that took you a long time to learn Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Hobbies and free time vocabulary 30 band-graded phrases and a self-test
Part 1, a cue card, then Part 3 — timed, in your browser, about 13 minutes.
One cue card a day on Telegram
A new Part 2 card every morning, a vocabulary topic on Sundays.
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