100+ family conversation starters

Sometimes I feel like I’m not asking my kids the right questions. I had a real desire to go a bit deeper and found the family conversation dinners approach. This produced a need to find some family conversation starters. Important questions that would inspire a deeper understanding of my family.

Here are the 100+ family conversation starters that I’ve gathered so far. These family conversation starters touch on philosophical, ethical, moral and psychological concepts. They help us build a lasting, authentic connection with our children.

Related: Strengths Based Parenting: Focus on the cans, not the can’ts

I’ve put the questions into card format for you to print (click on the image below), or you could simply pick one of the family conversation starters from the list below and go for it. Happy discovering!

CLICK THE IMAGE TO PRINT THE CARDS

100+ intriguing family conversation starters

1. Do you think we are born the way we are or does the world shape us into who we become?

2. What do you think are the nicest things a person could do for someone else?

3. Why are we friends with some people and not others?

4. Name something that really scares you but you’ve never told anyone.

5. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard and why?

6. What does loyalty mean to you?

7. How can you be a good friend?

8. What is your favourite time of day and why? What would make it even better?

9. How do you think the world would be different without the internet?

10. Why do we have art?

11. Should we help others or is it more important to help ourselves?

12. Do you think people who come from different cultures can live together in harmony?

13. What does the perfect day look like?

14. Who is someone you admire and why?

15. What is something that hasn’t been invented (yet)?

16. Is being sad as important as being happy?

17. Do you think that aliens exist?

18. What are you interested in that most people aren’t?

19. If you were given $100 what would you spend it on?

20. What’s something you worry about but know you shouldn’t?

21. Would you rather be a kid or an adult?

22. Why do you think there are wars?

23. What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?

24. When was the last time you were proud of yourself and why?

25. What do you wish you could do that you can’t do yet?

26. What’s the best life advice you’ve ever heard?

27. What is your worst habit and why is it a bad one?

28. What would be the best thing you might find in a cave?

29. What country seems the most different to Australia?

30. What kind of animal would you most like to have a conversation with? What would you talk about?

31. What about the opposite sex do you find most confusing?

32. Do you enjoy drama or do you prefer it when things are quiet?

33. What is one thing that everyone in the whole world would agree with you on?

34. Where in the world would you most like to live and why?

35. What do you wish you never had to do again?

36. What frustrates you the most and what do you do about it?

37. Do you think old people offer something of value to society?

38. What makes you most anxious?

39. What is something that everyone knows is true, but no one likes to admit?

40. Do you prefer to be alone or with other people?

41. What’s the most stressful thing you can think of having to do.

42. What makes us love someone?

43. Why are some people seen as more creative than other people? Are they?

44. What do you admire most about the people at this table?

45. If you could have three wishes come true, what would they be?

46. What do you most like about yourself?

47. What are the most important things we learn at school?

48. How many friends do you think a person needs?

49. What would you change in the world if you could?

50. What does success look like to you?

51. If you could design the perfect town, what would you put in it?

52. What superpower do you think would be the most useful?

53. What makes a good teacher?

54. What do you think we don’t celebrate enough?

55. Which season do you like best and why?

56. Why do you think people bully others?

57. What would you change about your life if you could?

58. Do you have to have money to be happy in life?

59. What do you think adults forget about being a kid?

60. What’s one rule you wish you didn’t have to live by.

61. What makes a good sister or brother?

62. Do you think it’s better to have a large family or a small one?

63. Do you think people who watch bullying happen and say nothing are doing the wrong thing?

64. What does it mean to have courage?

65. What is a simple act of kindness that everyone should do every day?

66. Where do you think anger comes from?

67. What’s the best thing about being a girl/boy? And the hardest?

68. Why do you think some people are more popular than other people?

69. What are three qualities that people you like have?

70. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

71. When is it hardest to be a good friend?

72. Why do you think some people are good at Maths and others English?

73. When you’re sad, how can you make yourself feel better?

74. Is it worse to fail at something or to never attempt it in the first place?

75. Should people care more about doing the right thing or doing things right?

76. What is a piece of advice you would give to a younger kid?

77. What is true happiness?

78. What holds people back from doing what they really want or saying what they really want?

79. What is the truth?

80. Do you prefer things or experiences?

81. If you could do anything and know you wouldn’t fail, what would you do?

82. What is freedom?

83. Do we have a soul?

84. Can we have happiness without sadness?

85. Where were people before they were born?

86. Does everyone agree on what’s beautiful and what isn’t?

87. What gives life its meaning?

88. Do people have a right to do whatever they want?

89. Can people change?

90. Why do you think space exists?

91. Why do we dream?

92. What strange habit do you have?

93. If you could spend an hour doing anything you liked, what would you do?

94. If you could be any animal, what animal would you be and why?

95. Why are some people unkind?

96. What is one thing you know for sure?

97. What worries you most about the future?

98. Why do you think we have religion?

99. What’s something about you that not many people know?

100. Why do we have to do so many things we don’t like?

101. If happiness was money, what kinds of things would make you rich?

102. How important is it to stand up for what you believe in?

103. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?

104. Would you be friends with you?

105. Has your greatest fear ever actually happened?

106. What fills your cup?

107. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make mistakes?

108. What do you love the most?

109. How should we treat animals?

110. Is everything connected?

111. Can a person think themselves happy?

112. What’s the difference between adults and children?

113.  Are the best things in life free?

114. Can one person change the world?

115. Why do we feel sad?

116. What makes someone smart?

117. Do you believe in magic?

118. What makes something funny?

119. How do you know when something is right?

120. What does a banana taste like?

121. What does warm feel like?

122. Where do you go when you’re asleep?

123. What do you think your strengths are and why are they important?

Do you like a family D+M?

Feature image by Alvin Balemesa