Creating a parent survey about their child requires thoughtful questions that match both the child’s developmental stage and your research goals. Each age group has different experiences and concerns, so it's essential to use age-appropriate questions to capture what truly matters to parents.
The best questions parent child survey designs go beyond surface-level data by exploring the “why” behind parent responses—using clever follow-ups to capture feedback you can truly act on. When you’re ready, you can create a parent survey with Specific’s AI survey generator to get started in minutes.
Survey questions for parents of young children (Ages 0-5)
For parents of young children, survey questions should be gentle and precise, grouped by the following common goals:
Developmental milestones
How would you describe your child’s current communication skills?
What activities does your child enjoy most at home?
Ask one follow-up to understand specific examples of communication milestones or challenges the parent has noticed
Studies show over 63% of parents of children under five use milestone-focused checklists to track development, and open-ended follow-ups can help clarify unique concerns or progress [1].
Childcare satisfaction
How satisfied are you with your child's daycare or preschool experience?
Are there any specific concerns or wishes you have for your child's care setting?
Gently probing for examples lets parents elaborate, but since they're often tired, keep follow-ups supportive and brief.
Early learning preferences
What types of educational activities does your child enjoy at home?
How do you manage screen time boundaries for your child?
Young families are increasingly looking for support on balancing learning with play, and open-ended questions here provide actionable insight [1].
Survey questions for parents of school-age children (Ages 6-12)
For elementary and middle-schoolers, group your questions by goal for a more focused survey:
Academic progress
How satisfied are you with your child’s current academic performance?
What subjects does your child find most challenging?
What resources or support would help your child the most?
According to EdWeek, nearly 47% of parents cite math and reading as areas where children struggle or need extra support, underscoring the value of targeted academic follow-ups [2].
Social development
How would you describe your child’s friendships and social interactions?
Have you noticed any behavioral changes or social challenges recently?
Probe for specific social situations where the child thrives or struggles, asking for concrete examples
Follow-up questions here can reveal specific friendship dynamics or behavioral issues, making it possible to spot patterns needing attention.
Good practice | Bad practice |
|---|---|
“Can you describe a situation where your child felt left out or included at school?” | “Does your child have trouble with friends? Yes/No” |
“What makes your child excited about group activities?” | “Is your child shy?” |
Extracurricular interests
What after-school activities is your child involved in, and how do they feel about them?
Have any extracurriculars helped your child discover a passion or talent?
These insights help schools and communities tailor programs to family needs and preferences [2].
Survey questions for parents of teenagers (Ages 13-18)
Surveys for parents of teens need to balance parental concern and respect for growing independence, especially around sensitive topics. Here’s how I break it down:
College readiness
What are your child’s post-high school plans, and how prepared do you feel they are?
Are there any academic or career interests your teen feels strongly about?
What resources would make the transition to college or work easier for your family?
Independence skills
How confident are you in your teen’s decision-making abilities?
What life skills—like budgeting, self-advocacy, or time management—is your teen currently developing?
Mental health awareness
Have you observed any signs of stress, anxiety, or social pressure in your child recently?
How comfortable does your teen feel discussing emotional challenges with you?
If parent mentions concerns, gently ask what support systems are in place without being intrusive
According to the CDC, about 29% of teens reported experiencing poor mental health in 2021, and family communication is a crucial support factor [3].
Use Automatic AI follow-up questions to let the conversation adapt in a natural way—something especially valuable for sensitive topics like mental health or autonomy. That way, you avoid making parents feel like they're being interrogated, and can help uncover actionable support needs.
Building parent surveys with AI-powered follow-ups
Specific’s AI survey builder understands the context of parent-child dynamics and helps you shape questions with a supportive, non-judgmental tone—key for conversational surveys with parents. Parents feel heard, not just surveyed, when follow-ups are personalized and gentle.
I adjust follow-up depth depending on topic sensitivity: you might use one gentle probe about behavioral changes, or a sequence of clarifying questions to explore academic or extracurricular issues.
Create a parent satisfaction survey for elementary school parents focusing on academic support and communication with teachers. Include questions about homework help needs and parent-teacher interaction preferences.
Simple tagging for analysis: All open responses can be automatically tagged by theme (like academic, social, and emotional) so you can instantly spot trends or pain points without manual coding—see the AI survey response analysis features for easy categorization and summarizing. If you want to tweak or expand your questions, the AI survey editor lets you simply chat instructions in plain language to refine your survey design.
With Specific, conversational surveys feel less like forms and more like supportive check-ins. That’s how you get honest answers and stronger parent-school partnerships.
Start gathering meaningful parent insights today
With age-appropriate questions and intelligent follow-ups, you can truly understand parent perspectives and build trust. Every family's voice deserves a survey that adapts—create your own survey and analyze responses instantly with AI.