40 Mealtime Conversation Starters {w/Free Printable}

The statistics all say the same thing:  When families eat more meals together, children tend to be healthier, do better in school, have better self-esteem, and avoid risky behaviors more often than their peers.

Now I don’t think all those good things come from the meals together so much as from the strong family structure that tends to encourage the meals together.  I would argue that families who eat together more often tend to be stronger families in every other way; the mealtimes are merely a byproduct of a strong family.  

But I’m quibbling.  The fact is, mealtimes do provide a wonderful opportunity for families to connect and communicate.  

So how do you connect and communicate over a family meal?  Every family is different, of course, and topics of discussion may vary pretty widely depending on the age, gender, activities, and interests of your kids.  Guessing games like 20 Questions can be fun, as can trivia games.  (We love Brain Quest!)  We’re also huge Adventures in Odyssey fans and we love to play Who Said It?, testing one another with quotes from random episodes and letting the others guess the speaker.  

But often at the table the kids will simply say, “Mom, ask us a question!”  And I’m always happy to oblige.  Questions like these are not only great conversation starters, they also encourage thought and sometimes generate some pretty intense and interesting discussions within our family.  

Read through these questions and scroll to the bottom to download a FREE printable version…

1. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
2. If you had to live on one food for the rest of your life, what would you want it to be?
3. What person from American history would you most like to meet?
4. If you could go back in time to witness any event in the Bible, which would you choose?
5. If you had a million dollars, how would you spend it?
6. If you could own any company in the world, which one would you pick?
7. What talent do you most wish you had?
8. If you could travel back in time to witness any event from American history, which one would it be?
9. What would your dream house be like?
10. If you could meet any person from the Bible, who would it be?
11. If you were trapped on a desert island with one person, who would you want it to be?
12. What modern convenience would you find it hardest to live without?
13. If you could solve any world problem in one instant, which one would you hope to eliminate?
14. If you had to give up one of your five senses, which one would you be most willing to part with?
15. Which season of the year is your favorite?
16. If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, who would you choose?
17. If you could have any super power for one day, which one would you want most?
18. What is your favorite thing about the house you live in?
19. If you were a farmer, what food or animal would you be most interested in raising?
20. If you could meet any author from history, who would you most want to meet?
21. If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
22. Which animal at the zoo frightens you the most?
23. Which animal is your favorite? 
24. If you had to leave the modern-day and live life 200 years ago, what do you think you would miss most about your present life?
25. If you could have lunch with any fictional character, who would it be?
26. What is your favorite thing about the state/province you live in?
27. Would you rather live in the city or the country?  Why?
28. If you were banished to a desert island and could take just 3 of your possessions with you, what would you take?
29. If you could become a character in any book, which one would it be?
30. If you could meet any president, past or present, which would you most like to meet?
31. If given the opportunity, would you like to travel in space?
32. If you had to live in another country for one year, which would you choose?
33. If you had to forever give up electric lights, running water, cell phones, or video games, which would you be most willing to part with?
34. If you could teach others any subject, which subject would you most like to teach?
35. What is the best thing about having a family?
36. Which of these makes you the most nervous:  darkness, fire, water, or heights?
37. If you had to live in the wilderness for one week, what would you do to survive?
38. What car, truck, or other vehicle, (ambulance, fire engine, tractor, etc.) would you most like to drive?
39. What are five things you would like to accomplish at some point in your life?  
40. If you could play any musical instrument, which would it be?

These questions might bring even more questions to your mind.  Download your own list for FREE here:

Printable Mealtime Conversation Starters List

 

Keep it handy at the family dinner table for some easy conversation generation!  

 

You’ll find this post linked up with some of these great blogs:

Making Your Home Sing Monday, The Modest Mom Link Up, Inspiration Monday, The Art of Homemaking, Monday Musings, Inspire Me Monday, Living Proverbs 31, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesday, Hip Homeschool Hop, Tutorial Tuesday, Inspire Me Tuesday, Homemaking Linkup, Wise Woman Linkup, The Mommy Club, Wholehearted Wednesday, A Little R & R, The Homemaking Party, Thought-Provoking Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Think Tank Thursday, Create-It Thursday, From House to Home, Growing in Grace Thursday, Faith-Filled Friday, Family Fun Friday, Weekly Wrap-Up, Friendship Friday, No Rules Weekend Blog Party, Inspiration Spotlight, Pretty Pintastic, Grace and Truth Link Up, Faith and Fellowship Blog Hop, Family Friendship and Faith Fridays, No More Rules Blog Hop