We all know how busy life gets, and family dinners can feel like an impossible dream to chase. But committing to even one dinner a week is still 52 hours together as a family every year.

And with a little planning…

These dinners become 52 opportunities — to not only discover the wonderful people you share your life with, but also to cherish the incredible gift you’ve been given.

Below you’ll find five fun and easy questions guaranteed to enrich every dinner you have together. Each prompt is appropriate for all ages, family dynamics, and conversation abilities.

Use these questions at dinner tonight and watch how easy it is for your family to enjoy one another’s company through intentional, eye-opening discussions.

(And if you want more, we have a free downloadable PDF of our top 99 prompts for all types of conversations)

1. Break the Ice:

What is Your Earliest Memory?

Don’t let this type of question fool you.

Even if you’ve been with your spouse for decades or parenting for several years, there is always something new and interesting to uncover about your loved ones.

2. Keep It Light:

Would You Rather Live in a Boat House, a Tree House, an Igloo, or a Teepee?

See, that wasn’t so hard!

Now that everyone is warmed up (and fuller-bellied), you can ease into the next topic of conversation. The goal here is to stretch the imagination and inspire a few giggles.

3. Go Deeper:

How Can Adults Show Respect to Children?

It’s time for something a bit more challenging.

This question isn’t just for kids - it’s a helpful practice for grown-ups that allows us to look inward and challenge our own beliefs and behaviors.

4. Let Your Kids Brag:

What is the Best Compliment You Have Ever Received?

Kids are constantly under pressure to do more, try harder, and be better.

Give them a chance to feel like heroes by sharing something where they did an amazing job and were recognized for it. It’s important to balance pushing our children with recognizing how wonderful they are.

5. Bring It Home:

If We Had a Special Family Day Together, What Would You Want to Do?

As you wrap up dinner and an evening of meaningful time together, take this time to reflect on your family relationships, the dynamics that make you tick as a unit, and what means the most to you — individually and as a team.

You’ll also get some great ideas for how to give your children a memorable weekend!

3 Bonus Tips to Help Kids Open Up

Not all kids are expert conversationalists. (Honestly, neither are some adults!)

From the shyest to the most outspoken, it’s important to ensure that your conversations remain safe spaces where everyone’s thoughts and opinions are valid.

Save these tips to keep them handy any time you want to boost your family’s conversational confidence.  

1.  Establish a Plan

Kids crave structure. To make sure everyone understands the importance of this time together, remember to share with your family that you are planning a quiet, distraction-free dinner conversation, as well as:

• The time you expect to sit down to eat and wrap up. This way, older kids and adults can block out time and know when they can return to homework, finish lingering work and home tasks, etc.

• The menu and whether it includes dessert. Activating appetites will get dawdlers to the table more easily. Plus, the added dessert incentive might just keep everyone around longer.

• Where you’re eating, ideally in a space free of distractions and around a table where everyone can see each other. This promotes active listening.

And on that note…

2. Put the Devices Away

Phones, laptops, tablets — anything with bells and whistles needs to be dark, silent, and hidden.

Setting this rule ahead of time shows your family that they have your full attention, and vice versa. When heads aren’t buried in screens, participants are better able to maintain eye contact and engage their listening skills.

It may seem like a huge ask, but these adjustments help lift conversational barriers and lead to fewer resentments (i.e., “You can have your phone out but I can’t have mine?!?”).

3. Model Conversational Behaviors

Kids learn best through play. By treating these conversation starters like a game, kids learn the “rules” they need to follow.

For the first question, have an adult start so that you can exhibit how to take turns and wait until the speaker is finished. It might also help to set a timer so that everyone knows they get the same amount of time to answer.

Additionally, be sure to include plenty of details in your answers so children know that they should add color and interest to their answers when their turn comes around. (One-word answers will not do!)

And most importantly, remember to have fun!

The only problem is: 5 prompts will last just a few nights...

Don’t Take Family Time for Granted

There’s been a popular idea circulating among parents lately — the idea that you only get 18 summers with your kids.

Respectfully, we disagree.

Whether it’s summer vacations, nightly dinners, soccer games, or weekend activities, families who prioritize their time together don’t need a countdown…

There will never be an end to the unforgettable moments, because the bonds you create as a family today will keep you together for years to come.

Your teens will want to spend time at home.

Your young adults will make an effort to spend holidays together.

And your adult children will want to bring their families into the comfortable, familiar fold of their childhoods.

When you spend time cultivating a sense of connection between family members, you’ll see how…

Conversation creates intimacy.  

Let’s face it: Kids grow up. Jobs change. New interests develop.

Understanding the inner workings of the people closest to you is an opportunity to watch how their interests, beliefs, and opinions evolve.  

Especially when it comes to your kids.

Show them you care about what they have to say and your children will give you a front-row seat to watching them grow into the wonderful people they become.

Conversation creates life skills.

As our minds are challenged with interesting and novel questions in a safe environment, we get better at thinking on the fly, articulating our thoughts, and understanding other perspectives.

The more your family practices these skills, the more you’ll see them turn into habits that carry over to day-to-day life.

Talking Point Cards create conversations.

The prompts in each card collection have been developed by experts to give adults and kids the opportunity to develop valuable conversation skills.

They can apply at home, school, work, extracurricular activities, and more!

Grab a pack today to create endless memories, time-honored traditions, and practical communication skills.