Open House doesn’t have to feel intimidating or overwhelming! I used to think I needed to “entertain” parents during Open House each school year. I used to dread it, to be quite honest. I decided one year to create a student-led activity that students and parents could do together when they visited my classroom. It was a hit! With students and parents working together, self-sufficiently, I was free to speak with the several parents who wanted impromptu conferences or to tell me about something going on in their child’s life.

This activity is fun for parents and students and requires minimal prep from the teacher. It’s a Parent Quiz that seeks to find out how much parents know about their children. Here is how I implement this activity in my classroom:

1. I make two copies of the Parent Quiz for each student.
2. On the day of Open House (during school hours), I ask students to fill out the answers on one copy to make an “Answer Key.”
3. I remind students to keep their answers a secret.
4. When students and parents come into my classroom on Open House night, I give each parent a blank quiz and I give students their “Answer Keys.” Parents fill out the quiz and students check the answers.

While giving this quiz to their parents, my students’ faces are glowing. It’s so fun to give your parents a test! Most parents only get three or four right, so parents learn something new about their children and it creates conversation for them. I hope you enjoy this activity!