IELTS Speaking Part 1: Childhood Activities – Model Answers 2026

Childhood Activities is a carryover topic in the IELTS Speaking Part 1 question bank for May–August 2026. Every single question in this set invites a comparison between the past and the present. That comparison is the easiest and most natural way to show tense variety in Part 1. These model answers show you exactly how to use it.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Childhood Activities: Questions and Model Answers

Question 1: What are your favourite activities now?

Model Answer:
These days my favourite activities include hiking, reading, and cooking new recipes on weekends. I also enjoy exploring different parts of my city when I have free time. I like a mix of active and quiet activities depending on my energy levels. Variety keeps things interesting.

Why This Works:
Four specific activities with a brief explanation of the logic behind them gives the answer natural structure. “Depending on my energy levels” is a natural, relatable observation.

📌 Band 7-8 Vocabulary:
– exploring — discovering new places or things
– energy levels — the amount of physical or mental capacity available
– variety — a number of different things
– depending on — influenced or determined by
– recipes — sets of instructions for preparing a dish

Question 2: What were your favourite activities when you were a child?

Model Answer:
As a child I was always outdoors. I loved cycling around the neighbourhood, swimming at the local pool, and playing made-up games with friends. Also, I was quite into drawing and building things with LEGO. I could spend entire afternoons just creating and imagining. It was a very active and imaginative childhood.

Why This Works:
“Made-up games” is a vivid, specific phrase. “Creating and imagining” as a pair is a natural, energetic description of childhood play.

📌 Band 7-8 Vocabulary:
– neighbourhood — the area around where a person lives
– made-up games — games invented rather than following existing rules
– creating — making something new
– imaginative — having a strong ability to form mental images
– entire — complete, with no part left out

Question 3: Did you prefer activities alone or with a group as a child?

Model Answer:
Mostly with friends, though I had a healthy balance of both. Group activities were fun and social, but I also valued time on my own, drawing, reading, or just thinking. I was never the kind of child who needed constant company. I think that balance between social and solo time has stayed with me into adulthood.

Why This Works:
“A healthy balance of both” is a confident, natural phrase. The observation that this balance has continued into adulthood links past to present naturally.

📌 Band 7-8 Vocabulary:
– healthy balance — an appropriate amount of each thing
– valued — regarded as important or beneficial
– constant company — the presence of other people at all times
– solo — done alone, without others
– adulthood — the state of being fully grown or developed

Question 4: What are the differences between activities you liked then and those you like now?

Model Answer:
There are quite a few. As a child, most of my activities were physical and spontaneous. Running around, playing sports, and exploring. Now I tend to choose more deliberate and structured activities. Fitness goals, learning new skills, planned trips. I also appreciate quieter, more reflective activities now, like journalling or cooking. I think maturity naturally shifts what you enjoy.

Why This Works:
The contrast between “spontaneous” childhood activities and “deliberate” adult ones is a sophisticated observation. “Maturity naturally shifts what you enjoy” is an excellent closing line.

📌 Band 7-8 Vocabulary:
– spontaneous — done without planning or premeditation
– deliberate — done consciously and intentionally
– structured — organised according to a clear plan
– reflective — thinking carefully and quietly about something
– shifts — moves or causes to move in a different direction

Examiner Tips for IELTS Speaking Part 1 Childhood Activities

Tip 1: Every question here invites past vs. present comparison.
Do not miss this. It is the single most natural way to show tense range in Part 1 and this topic gives you four opportunities to do it.

Tip 2: “Spontaneous” vs. “deliberate” is a powerful contrast.
Using these two words to compare childhood and adult activity shows exactly the kind of analytical vocabulary that marks Band 7 and above.

Tip 3: Be specific about what childhood activities looked like.
“Made-up games” and “cycling around the neighbourhood” are more vivid than “playing outside.” Specificity always wins.

Common Mistakes on This Topic

Giving the same tone to childhood and adult activities
Forgetting to compare past and present when the question invites it
Using “activities” in every sentence without varying the vocabulary
Answering the “alone or group” question with just one word

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Childhood Activities a confirmed IELTS Speaking topic for 2026?
Yes. Childhood Activities is a carryover topic in the official IELTS Speaking Part 1 question bank for May–August 2026.

What if I had an unusual childhood without many activities?
Describe what you did do. Any authentic answer that uses good language scores well, regardless of whether the activities were conventional.

Can I say I preferred being alone as a child?
Yes. A preference for solo activities described with clear reasons is a perfectly strong answer.