17 Conversation Starters for Chatting With Kids
Use this added family time to get to know what's going on in the mind of your little ones on a day-to-day basis.
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Did you do anything differently today?
As a parent, you can give your answer first to give kids an idea of what they might have done differently. Maybe you ate oatmeal instead of your usual eggs for breakfast because you wanted to top your oats with fruit and nuts. Maybe you read some of your book after lunch instead of jumping back on email to give your mind a reset.
Tell a joke or make us laugh.
Take turns telling one-line jokes or trying to make everyone at the dinner table laugh by doing silly faces or dances.
Did you miss anyone or anything today?
Depending upon the children’s age and maturity, parents should take the opportunity to ask them gently, but directly, what they miss from time to time. This gives kids a chance to give voice to thoughts and emotions that may be just below the surface.
What are you grateful for?
A good follow-up to a question about what’s lacking is a question that puts the spotlight on what we do have.
Rhyme time!
Someone says a word or phrase and the next person has to quickly say something that rhymes with it. Go around the family circle as many times as you can.
Did you see anything new today?
As adults, we may forget that seeing the world through the eyes of our children is seeing everything anew.
What are you excited for doing this week? Month? Year?
Now is a great time to help kids think a little ahead and focus on something to look forward to.
What superpower do you wish you had right now?
The answers to this could get interesting, from germ fighting powers to time travel!
Start a story.
Each person in the family takes a turn starting a fictional story. The next person adds 1-2 sentences to the story, and then the next person adds more to help develop the plot. See how long you can keep the story going.
Thumbs up or thumbs down
Pick an object or idea and everyone in the family gets to cast their vote thumbs up or thumbs down. Some ideas include: Zoom calls. Sourdough bread. Tie dye shirts. Spicy pickles.
What is one thing you want to do you want to do tomorrow?
Whether you have an entire Saturday to fill, or just a few minutes to do something fun as a family before diving into your weekday routine, it’s worth asking your kids to weigh in on something they’d enjoy doing the next day so you can chat about it and plan for it.
Do you have any questions?
You may be amazed at the questions your kids come up with!
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