The Kid Kit: All You Need to Interview Your Grandparents
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The Kid Kit: All you need to interview your grandparents INCLUDED: • 45 FAMILY HISTORY QUESTIONS • 3 BONUS ACTIVITIES • INTERVIEW RECORDING TIPS • THE HISTORY YOUR GRANDPARENTS LIVED THROUGH • TIPS FOR WHAT TO DO POST-INTERVIEW Recommended for children ages 8-12. Recommended for children A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. The Kid Kit Dear Grandma/Grandpa/Poppy/Nana/Oma/Bubbe, I can’t wait to interview you and learn more about your life before you were my grandparent. Could you please: • Tell me when you need a break during our interview? • Consider my questions an invitation to tell me everything—don’t feel like you should just answer what I ask, but rather use the questions as a springboard to travel back in time, remember, and tell me all the stories that come to mind—please!! • Have fun! I hope you enjoy this process, and know that I and the rest of the family value you and all that you have experienced. Love, CUT OUT, SIGN & GIVE TO YOUR GRANDPARENT & PARENT BEFORE YOUR INTERVIEW. The Kid Kit Dear Mom/Dad, Thank you for giving me this idea and for helping me to set up my interviews with my grandparent! Could you please: • Let me use one of the family’s smart phones or tablets to record my interviews? I am told that using two might be even better (just in case something goes wrong with one). • Find a few old photos of your parents that I can show them to prompt memories? • Suggest some questions I might ask that you know will spark good stories from your parent(s)? • Help me figure out how to transcribe the interview after it is done? Thank you!! Love, personal use only. For Books LLC. Heirloom ©2020 Modern ModernHeirloomBooks.com. from A resource 45 Questions 1 for Grandma & Grandpa REMEMBER: These questions are just ideas—you don’t have to ask every one. FUN IDEA: Show your grandparent a page and let them pick their own questions. DON’T FORGET: This should be fun (it’s not a homework assignment). START ET ED G ! A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. 45 Questions 2 for Grandma & Grandpa WHAT WAS YOUR GRANDPARENT LIKE AS A KID? A FEW QUESTIONS TO GET THEM TALKING: How is growing What did you up today look like when different from you were in when you were elementary a child? school? Do you still like it? Did it help What were you you in your work Did you have a when you got like as a kid? older? nickname? UP - FOLLOW What was life Were you What did What was your like when anything like me you want to be favorite subject you were when you were when you in school? growing up? little? grew up? A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. 45 Questions 3 for Grandma & Grandpa WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GRANDPARENT’S STRONGEST MEMORIES? START THE CONVERSATION! What are some What technology What’s one of other good most surprised your favorite stories about you (TV, car, memories your life? rocket to moon, of being a cell phone)? grandparent? What’s one of What is a funny your favorite memory from memories of your childhood? being a parent? Can you tell me about some Is there a time favorite family What city was it in? Did you you remember vacations and have a yard, neighbors who being scared? places that you -UP you played with? traveled? FOLLOW Tell me about Can you tell me a What is one of Describe the your first job. secret from your the happiest house where you Did you like it? life—something memories from lived when you What did you special that no your life? were little. learn? one else knows? A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. 45 Questions 4 for Grandma & Grandpa WHAT WAS YOUR Can you tell me GRANDPARENT’S some stories FAMILY LIFE LIKE? about time spent START HERE... with them? What was my Did you get mom/dad like along with your when they were brothers and little? sisters? What were your grandparents’ How did you Did you have a names, and what get punished pet growing up? were they like? when you did What kind, and Did you see them something what were their a lot? naughty? name(s)? What is the most How did you How many Do you look like important lesson meet Grandma/ different places anyone else in your parents Grandpa? have you lived? your family? taught you? What was your wedding like? A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. 45 Questions 5 for Grandma & Grandpa BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS LISTEN UP—THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEST! TIP! Remember to really LISTEN to your grandparent while he or she talks! Ask questions to learn more about the stories that interest you most. What could you tell me about your life that would surprise me a lot? What is the Have you What are you nicest thing you ever failed at thankful for? have ever done something? for someone How did you else? deal with it? What is the Is there anything nicest thing you wish you How would someone has had done in you like to be ever done for your life that you remembered? you? haven’t yet? A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. 45 Questions 6 for Grandma & Grandpa SOME SILLY & LIGHTHEARTED TOPICS WHY DON’T YOU MAKE UP A FEW OF YOUR OWN CRAZY QUESTIONS HERE, TOO? What was your favorite TV show when you were a kid? If you could What kind of have a music do you superpower, love? Do what would it you have a be? favorite song? Wanna dance?! If you could eat If you could just one food ask ME one every day, what question, what would you pick? would it be? A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. 45 Questions 7 for Grandma & Grandpa “OUR” RELATIONSHIP START A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW YOUR GRANDPARENT DID YOU KNOW...? ...what a gift you are giving your FEELS ABOUT YOU! grandparent by asking them questions? Do you see them light up when they get to talk about their love for YOU?! What are some things I did as a kid that I probably don’t remember? If you could give Do you have any funny stories What is your me just one bit Why do you about me from dream for me? of advice, what love me? would it be? when I was a baby? A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. 3 Bonus Activities ROLE A TASTY PICTURE REVERSAL TREAT THIS! TIME Teach your grandparent something Do you have a favorite Embark upon a photo scavenger new to them—maybe something dish that your grandparent hunt with your grandparent. using technology they are not cooks? Prepare it together, Whether you live together or far familiar with, or maybe one of your and ask your parents to take apart, ask them to find some old favorite hobbies. A few ideas: pictures of the process. pictures of things you’d like to see. A few ideas: q Ask your grandparent to write how to take a selfie (take one down the recipe in their own q together with a fun filter!) handwriting. their parents q Write down why you love this q how to make a playlist of dish, what it reminds you of— the house where they grew up their favorite songs and any special cooking notes your grandparent forgets to q q mention as part of the recipe! your grandparent how to kick a soccer ball ...making a funny face After dinner, why not visit again q and prepare a favorite dessert?! q how to draw Darth Vader ...at a sporting event q q how to play Pokémon ...in a uniform q ...in a Halloween costume q ...in an old car A resource from ModernHeirloomBooks.com. ©2020 Modern Heirloom Books LLC. For personal use only. & Interview Recording Tips TIPS FOR CONDUCTING A GREAT INTERVIEW Don’t ask yes-or-no questions. Consider every question you ask to be an open-ended question. By that I mean: You don’t want a one-word answer. Not even one sentence! You want stories. You want your questions to prompt memories so you can learn more about your grandparent’s life. Sometimes it’s good to be silent. If your grandparent doesn’t answer your question right away...wait. Don’t jump RECOMMENDED in and ask another question. Just don’t EQUIPMENT say anything!! A couple of quiet minutes will often give your subject time to think of an AMAZING story. TIP: NECESSARY If you can, set up two Follow-up questions are great! Voice recorder recorders (just in case!). When your grandparent answers a It’s a great thing to sit question with a really good story, ask down and hear your for another! Ask things such as Why? grandparent’s stories, for What if...? Could you tell me more sure—but it’s an important thing, about that? too. So record the conversation!!! Use a voice recorder app on Set up your space. your tablet or your parent’s smart Sit somewhere comfortable and quiet! phone, and make sure it is close Make sure you and your grandparent enough to your grandparent (do a have something to drink.