50 Things to Talk With Your Kids About at Dinner

As you and your family nourish your physical bodies with a delicious meal, you can grow together by feeding yourselves emotionally, intellectually, and even spiritually—with great conversation while being totally present and attentive.

These types of conversation starters can help make mealtimes with your family a uniquely special time of the day.

1. What was the best part of your day?

2. What are you grateful for today?

3. Does anyone have a good joke to tell?

4. How did your test go at school?

5. Did you help anyone today?

6. What is something really nice that someone did for you today?

7. If a friend was being bullied, what would you do?

8. What’s your favorite movie? Why?

9. What’s your favorite book? Why?

10. If you could invite someone to dinner, who would that be? What would you talk about?

11. If you had one wish that was guaranteed to come true, what would you wish for?

12. If you could be someone famous for a day, who would you be?

13. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

14. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

15. What’s the nicest thing about yourself and why?

16. If you could travel back in time, what era would you like to visit?

17. What’s something really nice that a friend has done for you recently?

18. What are you most proud of?

19. If there was one thing you could change in the world, what would that be?

20. If there was one thing you could change about yourself, what would that be?

21. If you could change one thing about your parents, what would that be?

22. If you could change one thing about your school, what would that be?

23. Who is your favorite teacher and why?

24. What do you think about home schooling?

25. How do you feel when someone is mad at you?

26. Who is your closest friend at school? What do you like most about them?

27. Do you know why people get divorced? Are any of your friends’ parents divorced?

28. Do you like your name? If you could pick a different name, what would you pick?

29. If you could make dinner for us tomorrow night, what would you prepare?

30. If you could decorate your room however you wanted, how would it look?

31. What fun activity would you like us to do as a family?

32. What is your favorite room or area of our home?

33. What do you like most about our family?

34. What are two goals that you have for this year?

35. What would you do if you found out that your best friend was lying to her parents?

36. Who is your favorite movie star or singer? Why?

37. Who is your favorite teacher or coach? Why?

38. What is your favorite activity that you like to do with your friends?

39. What is one of the most important lessons that you have learned?

40. What did you do during recess today?

41. How did your [insert after-school activity] go today?

42. Describe yourself in three words. Then describe me in three words. (You can go around the table and have everyone take turns describing each other.)

43. If you were the leader of a country, what is one law that you would like to pass?

44. What is your favorite vacation memory?

45. How do you like this dinner? What else do you think might make it better?

46. If you could change one thing about your day today, what would it be?

47. Put a glass on the table that’s half filled with water. Ask your children: “Is the glass half full or half empty?”

48. If you were an architect, what kind of building would you design?

49. Out of all the people in our family, who are you most similar to?

50. If appropriate, tell your children: “I have to make a decision about something at work.” Briefly share the situation in an age-appropriate way. Then ask: “Can you help me?” Typically, children love to feel that their opinion matters… and often, their ideas are quite creative and surprising!

. . .

PS. The list of questions above, is an excerpt from a guidebook that I wrote for parents. It's called: "It Starts With You. How To Raise Happy, Successful Children By Becoming The Best Role Model You Can Possibly Be."

. . .

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Contact your qualified provider before implementing or modifying any personal growth or wellness program or technique, and with questions about your well-being.

Copyright ©2019 Dr. Suzanne Gelb, PhD, JD. All rights reserved.