Family Mealtime Conversation Starters

I am sure we have all heard how eating meals together frequently as a family seems to be linked to kids doing better in school, having better relationships with parents, and avoiding health risks like eating disorders, drugs, and alcohol when they are older. Of course, in today's world this doesn't have to mean fully homecooked meals for dinner every night! Family mealtime could also be Sunday morning breakfast or Friday night pizza, whatever works best for your family. Here are some conversation starters and fun activities to give you some ideas on how to make mealtime more playful, enjoyable, and connection-building for the whole family. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to add them by clicking "comments" under this post!

Conversation Starters:

• If you could invite any 3 people to dinner...
• If you had $10 million to spend however you wanted...
• If you could be any person (or character in book/movie/TV) for a day...
• If you could have any superpower...
• What were the highlights and lowlights of your day, or week?
• If you were king or queen for the day, what would you change?
• If you were the president, what would you change?
• If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world...
• Share a bucket-filler (compliment or kind action) that you did to someone else today, or that someone else did to you. Or plan a bucket-filling action as a family!
• If you were going to live on an island and could only bring 5 things...
• Any kind of family reflection, like "Do you think our family is too busy?" or "How could we best settle family arguments?"
• What animal are you most like? What animals are other family members most like?
• Share favorite memories or wishes for the future
• Favorite books or movies
• Most embarrassing moments
• Bring a "word of the day" to the meal every day or week and see who can use it in real life the next day or throughout the week.
• In 60 seconds, tell us as much about your day as you can. (Might get you more information than "Nothing happened." :))
• Describe your perfect day, from the time you wake up from the time you go to bed.
• If you could invent something to make life easier, what would it be?
• If you could compete in any Olympic event, what would it be?

Activity Ideas:

• Backwards meal- eat dessert first
• Breakfast for dinner or some other meal mix-up
• Picnic on the family room floor or in the backyard
• Dress up and light candles for a "fancy" dinner
• Celebration plate- a special or decorated plate that a family member gets to use when something special is happening for him or her, they've met a goal or accomplished something, or everyone could take turns with the special plate
• Let a child make up the whole menu once in a while
• Funny hat night- everyone decorates a hat or headpiece to wear to dinner, or wears a hat that has special meaning to them
• Eat foods of all one color, or a rainbow of colors, or foods that all start with the same letter, etc.