Conversation
Starters

Starting a conversation with your kids may seem daunting. Even if it may feel like the stakes are high, having a meaningful talk with your children doesn’t have to be a challenge. Good Dads is here to help you spark dialog with kids of all ages.

Animals

What is one mythical creature you wish existed in the real world?

Would you rather be as big as a blue whale or a small as a mouse?

What is your favorite insect or bug?

What is your favorite furry animal?

What is your favorite aquatic animal?

Emotions & Feelings

When was the last time you felt selfish? When was the last time you felt helpful?

When was the last time you were surprised? Is it always a good thing to be surprised?

What makes you laugh? What kinds of jokes aren’t funny to you?

Is it realistic to be happy all the time?

What do you feel most sad about lately?

Is anything worrying you?

What are you missing most right now?

What can you do anytime you feel lonely?

What are some things that really annoy you?

What was the last compliment you received? Who said it, and how did it make you feel?

Has a friend ever upset you? Why did you get upset?

Is there anything about the future that makes you worried?

When did you last feel stressed? What makes you feel stressed?

What does it mean to you to be happy?

Describe the last time you felt angry. How did you handle it?

When you are angry, how do you calm yourself?

Favorites

What is a food you like that most people don’t like?

Who is your favorite historical figure? What did they do that you admire?

What’s your favorite thing to do after finishing your chores?

What is your favorite chore? Your least favorite?

Friends & Family

What is the best thing about being a member of our family?

Why is it important to know about our family’s history? What part of our ancestry do you want to know more about?

What is your favorite memory of something we did as a family?

When is it a good idea to share with others? Can you think of a situation where it might not be a good idea to share?

How do you find a common interest with someone you just met?

What would your friends say are your best features?

What do you do to become friends with someone?

Do you think you are a good friend? Why?

Is it better to have just one best friend or lots of friends, whom you don’t know very well?

How are friendships in real life different than in movies or TV?

When you need to talk about something important, who do you turn to?

What would the perfect family look like? Why?

What qualities make a good friend?

Home & Travel

What is the most exciting place you’ve ever been to?

If you could spend a day anywhere in the world, where would you choose to go?

If you could take a trip anywhere, where would you go?

What do you like about where you live?

Miscellaneous

What is the nicest thing someone has ever said about you?

Have you ever read a book or watched a movie where you disagreed with the message or moral of the story? What was it?

What do you think are the most fun or interesting ways to volunteer or make a difference in your neighborhood?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

What is the best part about being a kid? The worst?

Who is the funniest person you know?

What’s your favorite impression to make?

How can we turn adversity into opportunity?

If you could teach me one thing you’re really good at, would it be?

What do you want your future to look like?

Who do you look up to?

What was the best and worst part of your day?

What privileges are you looking forward to when you get older?

What is your favorite commercial jingle? Can you sing it?

School

How do you know that your teachers care about you?

What school subject are you strongest in? Weakest in?

Would you rather have your favorite teacher for your least-favorite subject or the same awful teacher for every subject?

Do you reward yourself after finishing homework? How would you like to do that?

What are some things that you love about school?

Seasonal

What is your favorite thing about spring?

What is your favorite thing about summer?

What is your favorite thing about fall?

What is your favorite thing about winter?

What is your favorite holiday tradition we do as a family? Why?

What is the worst gift you’ve received?

If you could invent a new holiday, what would you celebrate, and how? What day of the year would your new holiday land on?

Sports & Activities

Do you prefer to play games alone, with a partner, or on a team with several people? Why?

What is your favorite game to play?

What is something fun you’d like to do together today?

If we invented a game together, what would it be like? What kinds of rules would you design?

What are your favorite after-school activities?

Would you rather be the best player on a losing team or the worst player on a winning team?

What is your favorite memory from camping or being out in nature?

Technology

How much screen time is too much?

What would you do if you had no electronics?

What would you do if someone asked you for your password and you didn’t want to share it?

Do your friends share their online passwords? Do you think it’s ok to do that?

Would you rather have a phone but nobody to be social with, or spend a day with friends but have no phone?

If you described your day using emojis, what would it look like?

What if?

If you could be any food for a day, what food would you be?

What would you do if you found a $100 bill on the ground?

If we were characters in a story, and our lives were a book bring written, what kind of plot twists, adventures or life lessons would you want to see unfold in our family? What would be the title of our book?

If you were a parent, what rules would you have?

If we opened our very own restaurant, what would you put on the menu?

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?

If you could be in any TV show, which one would it be?

If you won a million dollars, how would you spend it?

What would the world be like if we all looked the same?

If you could solve one problem in the world, what would it be?

If you could trade places with anyone in the world, who would it be? Why?

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?