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Conversation Starters for Kids, Tweens, Teens, and Adult Children

Conversation Starters for Kids, Tweens, Teens, and Adult Children

Tired of having the same conversation with your kids? Whether your kids are in elementary school or attending college, any parent can use these questions for ideas on how to engage in conversation & build relationships. Explore these conversation starters for kids and teens to develop engaging conversation with your kids.  

Questions by Age:

Questions by Topic:

Conversation Starters for Kids: Ages 4 - 8

  1. What is your favorite school activity, and why?
  2. Which is more fun: doing things inside, or doing things outside?
  3. What activities do you like to do by yourself?
  4. What activities are always more fun with other people?
  5. If you could do whatever you wanted today, what would it be?
  6. What games do you like to play with your sister or brother?
  7. If you could learn how to do one activity, what would it be?
  8. What’s something you want to do with me sometime?
  9. What’s one sport you want to try? Why?
  10. Would you like to take any lessons, like learning to play the piano or becoming a ninja?
  1. Is it ever OK to not tell the truth? Why?
  2. When do you behave the best?
  3. When do you behave the worst?
  4. How do you know when you aren’t doing what is right?
  5. Is telling the truth sometimes difficult? Why?
  6. How do you show respect for your mom or dad?
  7. If your friend does something that you aren’t supposed to do, what do you do?
  8. What do you do when you see someone getting picked on?
  9. Can people trust you? Why can they trust you?
  10. Who do you trust? Why?

Conversations about the Future

  1. How old do you think you’ll be when you get married?
  2. Why do we keep our private parts private?
  3. What do you like about being a boy? or girl?
  4. What are some things you like about girls? or boys?
  5. How can you show respect to boys? or girls?
  1. What do you do when you feel sad?
  2. What do you do when you don’t get what you want?
  3. How do you feel when your mom praises your sister/brother and not you?
  4. If someone makes you sad, do you tell him or her? Why?
  5. Have you ever lost something you really liked?  What did you do?
  6. How do you handle disappointment?
  7. What do you do when things seem unfair?
  8. When is fairness a bad thing?
  9. When have you worked hard at something, but it still didn’t work out? 
  10. How do you handle situations where things don’t go your way?

Conversations about Relationships

  1. What are your dreams for your future?
  2. How has God spoken to you through dreams?
  3. What do you think is the perfect age, and why?
  4. In what sport would you love to be the best, and why?
  5. If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be, and why?
  6. What kind of job do you want to have when you grow up?
  7. What kind of person do you want to be when you’re older?
  8. Do you want to have kids when you grow up? Why or why not?
  9. If you could take a trip anywhere, where would it be? Why?
  10. If you could spend a day with one person, who would it be? Why?
  1. What is an enemy?
  2. Do you think you have any enemies?
  3. Is an enemy different from just someone you don’t like?
  4. If someone doesn’t like you, how should you respond?
  5. Why do you have to forgive people who have hurt you?
  6. Is it ever OK to not forgive someone? Why or why not?
  7. Do you ever pray for people who are mean to you?
  8. What does it mean to forgive someone?
  9. Why do you think we want to forgive others?
  10. Can you forgive someone even if you’re not friends again? Why or why not?

Conversations about Culture and Religion

  1. What’s your favorite TV show, and why?
  2. What’s your favorite movie, and why?
  3. How many TV shows or videos do you watch every day?
  4. What’s your favorite thing to do with your friends?
  5. What types of entertainment are displeasing to God?
  6. Do you think you should watch fewer TV shows or videos each day?
  7. What kind of music do you like to listen to, and why?
  8. What’s your favorite song? Why do you like it?
  9. Can movies and music affect how we behave or what we believe? Why or why not?
  10. What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
  1. What’s your favorite Bible story, and why?
  2. What do you think Heaven will be like?
  3. How do you get to Heaven?
  4. Besides Jesus, what person from the Bible would you like to meet, and why?
  5. Is the Bible true? Why do you think that?
  6. Is God real? How do you know?
  7. What do you think God looks like?
  8. Do you think it’s important to go to church? Why?
  9. Do you ever pray for people? Tell me about one time.
  10. Why do you think God created people?

Conversations about Family and Friends

  1. What do you like to do with your family?
  2. How could you be a better brother or sister?
  3. What was your favorite family trip? Why?
  4. What do you think your mom or dad is good at?
  5. How do you think our family is the same or different from other families?
  6. What does it mean to honor your father and mother?
  7. For your birthday, what’s one thing you wish you could do?
  8. What should we do more of as a family?
  9. If you could change one thing about me, what would it be?
  10. What is your favorite restaurant that our family goes to? Why?
  1. Who’s your best friend, and why
  2. What do you like to do with your friends?
  3. What makes someone a good friend?
  4. How can you be kind to someone who needs a friend?
  5. Have you ever stopped being friends with someone? Tell me about it.
  6. What do you do when a friend doesn’t want to play with you or do what you want to do?
  7. What’s something special you want to do for a friend?
  8. When is it OK to keep a secret for a friend?
  9. When should you tell a secret a friend has told you?
  10. What makes a friend your “best” friend?

Conversations about Personal Responsibility

  1. What are your goals for this year?
  2. Why do people make goals?
  3. What is a goal?
  4. How can we keep track of our goals?
  5. Are all goals good goals? Why or why not?
  6. What do you want to be when you grow up?
  7. When is failure a good thing?
  8. When is comparing yourself to others a good thing or a bad thing?
  9. Do you think everyone accomplishes all the goals they set?
  10. Is failure a sin?
  1. What is your favorite active thing to do with your body?
  2. What are your favorite healthy foods?
  3. How do you take care of your body?
  4. What’s a healthy way to handle feelings and emotions?
  5. When do you handle your emotions well?
  6. When is it hard to handle your feelings in a healthy way?
  7. What does our family do to be healthy? Take walks? Ride bikes?
  8. Do you like to do exercises by yourself or with your friends?
  9. What’s your favorite sport to play?
  10. How can you glorify God with your body and mind?
  11. What is the longest walk you have ever taken?
  12. What can you do to keep your brain healthy?
  13. How important is it to you to be healthy?
  14. What do your friends do that you think is healthy?
  15. What do your friends do that you think is unhealthy?

Conversations about Community

  1. If a friend asked to borrow money from you, what would you say?
  2. Where’s a good place to keep your money?
  3. Are you saving your money for something? Explain.
  4. Why do people need to save money?
  5. What does your mom or dad spend the most money on?
  6. How do you earn money?
  7. What could you sell to make a little money?
  8. Why do you think your mom and dad tithe money to God?
  9. Have you ever used your money to help other people? Explain.
  10. If I gave you $5 right now, what would you do with it?
  11. What would you do with $100? How about $1,000?
  1. Who’s your favorite teacher? Why?
  2. What do you like about your teacher?
  3. Do you think you learn more at school or at home? Why?
  4. What’s your favorite thing to do at school?
  5. What’s something really cool that you’ve learned in school?
  6. Why do you think we go to school?
  7. What’s something that you don’t like about school?
  8. What is your favorite subject at school right now?
  9. When someone in your class makes fun of another kid, what do you do?
  10. Do you feel like you are doing well in school? Why?

Conversations about Social Responsibility

  1. Which app do you like the most, and why?
  2. What kinds of things can computers (phones/tablets) be used for?
  3. Can our use of computers affect our health? If so, how?
  4. Is it important to limit time we spend playing computer games? Why?
  5. How should you decide what to post online or not?
  6. Do your friends have social media accounts? How do they use them?
  7. What should you do if you see something inappropriate online?
  8. What does your school teach you about technology and the internet?
  9. When do you think social media begins to get in the way of real life?
  10. What kind of information should you avoid putting online? Why?
  1. Who is the president of the United States?
  2. How would you describe our government?
  3. Would you ever want to be president of the United States?
  4. What does the president do every day?
  5. Do you know what it means to be a mayor, a senator, a representative?

Conversation Starters for Tweens: Ages 9- 12

  1. What’s your favorite school activity, and why?
  2. How do you compare your practice habits to those who share your interests?
  3. Who’s the most encouraging teammate you have?
  4. How can you be more encouraging to others?
  5. How can I be more involved in your activities?
  6. When do you think it’s okay to quit an activity?
  7. How can I help you improve in your favorite activity?
  8. Who on your team handles failure best, and why?
  9. How do you prepare for high-pressure situations?
  10. What’s been your greatest accomplishment?
  1. How do you become trusted by others?
  2. How do you show respect to adults?
  3. What determines the truth about something?
  4. How do you know truth when you see it?
  5. Have you ever stolen something and regretted it later?
  6. What’s the worst lie you ever told?
  7. What influences your behavior?
  8. Are you a role model for anyone, and why?
  9. What comes first: character or conduct? And why?
  10. Who do you look up to or whose example do you follow?

Conversations about the Future

  1. How can you show respect to girls?
  2. Why do we keep our private parts private?
  3. How have you seen dating hurt people?
  4. What mistakes have you seen friends make with their girlfriends/boyfriends?
  5. What does the Bible say about dating?
  6. How have you seen dating too early cause problems?
  7. What do you know about your parents’ experience in dating?
  8. How long does it take to truly get to know someone?
  9. What one trait must your future spouse have, and why?
  10. How do you decide how much affection to show someone you’re dating or you like?
  11. When do you think boys and girls should start dating?
  12. Do you know anyone who goes on dates? What do they do?
  13. Why do adults go on dates? Why do your parents?
  14. Does “dating” mean the same thing as “going on a date?”
  15. Describe the person you hope to marry someday.
  1. What has been your greatest disappointment?
  2. How could you have prevented your greatest disappointment?
  3. What did you learn about yourself in times of disappointment?
  4. If a person disappoints you, how likely are you to tell them about it?
  5. Where do you turn to deal with disappointment?
  6. How have I disappointed you?
  7. How can I stop disappointing you?
  8. What role has God played in your disappointments?
  9. How can I do a better job of encouraging you through disappointment?
  10. What was your greatest disappointment with a friend?
  11. How do you handle disappointment?
  12. When have you worked hard at something, but it still didn’t work out? How did you handle it?
  13. What do you do when things seem unfair?
  14. What do you do when you feel sad?
  15. How do you feel when your mom praises your sister/brother and not you?

Conversations about Relationships

  1. How can you go about achieving your dreams?
  2. Who can help you achieve your dreams?
  3. How can I help you achieve your dreams?
  4. How have your dreams changed over time?
  5. If money were no object, what would you do with the rest of your life?
  6. How do you follow through on your dreams?
  7. If you could invest in one thing what would it be?
  8. What are your dreams for your future?
  9. How has God spoken to you through dreams?
  10. What do you think is the perfect age, and why?
  11. In what sport would you love to be the best, and why?
  12. If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be, and why?
  13. Do you want to have kids when you grow up?
  14. If you could spend a day with one person, who would it be? Why?
  15. What kind of person do you want to be when you’re older?
  1. What is an enemy?
  2. How do you treat your enemies?
  3. How should you treat your enemies?
  4. What causes people to become enemies?
  5. Where does forgiveness play a role in the relationship between enemies?
  6. When have you created an enemy? How would you do things differently?
  7. How does time heal wounds with enemies? Or does it not?
  8. What role does God play with your enemies?
  9. What does it mean to forgive someone?
  10. When was the last time you really prayed for an enemy?

Conversations about Culture and Religion

  1. What’s your favorite TV show, and why?
  2. What’s your favorite movie, and why?
  3. Which movie exhibits the most virtues, and why?
  4. What’s your favorite thing to do with your friends?
  5. What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
  6. How much time is enough for video games per day, and why?
  7. What kind of music do you like to listen to, and why?
  8. What’s your favorite song? Why do you like it?
  9. Who is you favorite actor, and why?
  10. What TV show exhibits the most virtues, and why?
  11. Who is your favorite music group, and why?
  12. What’s your favorite music station or playlist?
  13. Who would you like to see in concert if they came to town?
  14. If you could go to one single sporting event what would it be, and why?
  15. If you had a day to do anything you wanted, what would it be?
  1. What’s your favorite Bible story, and why?
  2. What do you think Heaven will be like?
  3. How do you get to Heaven?
  4. Besides Jesus, what person from the Bible would you like to meet, and why?
  5. In the last month, who have you shared your faith with?
  6. What do you find confusing about the Bible?
  7. Do you believe that the Bible is 100% true?
  8. Is there a part of the Bible that you find unbelievable?
  9. How does Satan influence your life?
  10. Describe Hell to me.
  11. How do you get to Hell?
  12. Are you praying for anyone right now?
  13. Do you believe that the world was created in six actual days? Why, or why not?
  14. Is Satan real? Why, or why not?
  15. How do you give God glory?
  16. What’s the meaning of life?
  17. Is man basically good or evil?
  18. What does eternity mean to you?
  19. Where does evil come from?
  20. What is the purpose of the church?

Conversations about Family and Friends

  1. If you could change one thing about me, what would it be?
  2. What’s your favorite story about your mom/dad?
  3. What’s the best trait that you think you’ve picked up from your mom/dad?
  4. How could you be a better brother/sister?
  5. What was your favorite family vacation, and why?
  6. What’s your favorite family activity, and why?
  7. How has owning a pet made you a better person?
  8. In what way(s) do you hope to be like mom/dad when you are an adult?
  9. How do you think I could better prepare you for adulthood?
  10. When you have kids, how will you discipline them differently than I do now?
  11. Would you tell me if a sibling was doing something dangerous, and why?
  12. Do you feel that I listen well to you? How can I improve?
  13. How would you describe me to your best friend?
  14. When are you the most proud to be part of our family?
  15. What are our family’s values?
  16. Who is it that you aim to please the most, and why?
  17. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your siblings?
  18. What’s the earliest memory you have?
  19. If you won $10 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
  20. What one chore would you like to stop having to do, and why?
  1. Who’s your best friend, and why?
  2. When should you tell a secret a friend has told you?
  3. How can you be kind to someone who needs a friend?
  4. What do you like to do with your friends?
  5. Have you ever stopped being friends with someone? Tell me about it.
  6. What’s something special you want to do for a friend?
  7. What do you think is the most important trait in a friend, and why?
  8. When have you felt you needed to end a friendship, and why?
  9. Where’s your favorite place to make new friends, and why?
  10. What’s your favorite thing to do with a group of your friends?
  11. Tell me about a recent time when a friend betrayed you.
  12. Which of your friend’s parents treat you with the most respect, and how?
  13. Do you envy of any of your friends? Which ones, and why?
  14. How can you be a better friend to someone in your life?
  15. How does someone become your friend?

Conversations about Personal Responsibility

  1. What are your goals for this year?
  2. Is failure a sin?
  3. When is comparing yourself to others a good thing? When is it a bad thing?
  4. Do you think everyone accomplishes all the goals they set?
  5. How do you handle setbacks or failures in reaching your goals?
  6. What do you want to be when you grow up?
  7. How do you measure yourself against your goals?
  8. What are your goals for this week?
  9. What are your goals for this month?
  10. How do you like to celebrate your achievement of a goal?
  11. What profession interests you the most and why?
  12. Do you keep your goals private, or do you share them with others?
  13. What kind of goals are the most difficult for you to achieve?
  14. Who does the best job in encouraging you to achieve your goals, and why?
  15. Where do your goals and God’s will intersect?
  1. What is your favorite active thing to do with your body?
  2. What are your favorite healthy foods?
  3. How do you take care of your body?
  4. What’s a healthy way to handle feelings and emotions?
  5. When do you handle your emotions well?
  6. When is it hard to handle your feelings in a healthy way?
  7. How important is it to you to be healthy?
  8. What’s your favorite sport to play?
  9. What can you do to keep your brain healthy?
  10. How could you be more healthy?
  11. What one lifestyle change do you think would have the best impact on your health?
  12. What is your definition of “healthy”?
  13. How can you improve your spiritual health?
  14. How can you improve your mental health?
  15. Which is most important: physical health, spiritual health, or mental health? Why?

Conversations about Community

  1. If a friend asked to borrow money from you, what would you say?
  2. How do you decide how much money to tithe to God?
  3. For what kinds of things do you save up your money?
  4. How would you like to handle money better?
  5. What’s your favorite way to make money?
  6. What does our family spend money on that you think is wasteful?
  7. When is borrowing money wise or acceptable?
  8. How do you determine how much you save or spend from what you earn?
  9. How have you used your money to help others?
  10. What’s the worst purchase you ever made, and why?
  11. What has been your best investment, and why?
  12. If I gave you $100 right now, what would you do with it?
  13. Does God favor the wealthy or the poor, and why?
  14. What have you purchased that seems like a waste of money today? Why?
  15. When did you decide not to buy something, and it turned out to be a great decision?
  1. What’s your favorite class, and why?
  2. What’s your least favorite class, and why?
  3. Which teacher has had the most influence on you, and how?
  4. Is there anything I could do to help you succeed in any of your classes?
  5. Which types of tests are most difficult for you, and why?
  6. In what ways do you see “the wrong things” being rewarded at school?
  7. Who do you trust the most at your school, and why?
  8. If you could teach one subject in school, what would it be and why?
  9. How does cheating in school help or hurt the cheater?
  10. Have you ever experienced bullying in your school?
  11. In what way do you envy kids who go to public school?
  12. What do you like best about your principal?
  13. What’s your favorite teacher’s best character trait?
  14. If you were being bulled in school, how would you like your parents to handle it?
  15. How does someone have to act in order to be popular in school?

Conversations about Social Responsibility

  1. How should you decide what to post online or not?
  2. When do you think social media begins to get in the way of real life?
  3. What should you do if you see something inappropriate online?
  4. Can our use of computers affect our health? If so, how?
  5. What does your school teach you about technology and the internet?
  6. What kind of information should you avoid putting online? Why?
  7. Is it important to limit time we spend playing computer games? Why?
  8. What do you consider inappropriate behavior on social media sites?
  9. What are some of the dangers on online social media?
  10. How do you guarantee that you will not fall into the trap of someone bad online?
  11. What are the dangers associated with inappropriate cell phone use?
  12. When do you text vs. call someone?
  13. Do you have a friend who is at risk with his/her online behavior? If so, who?
  14. What do you like about social media?
  15. How much do you think your use of social media will affect getting a job later?
  1. What is the Constitution?
  2. What’s the role of the federal government?
  3. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
  4. What’s the role of state government?
  5. Who wrote the Constitution?
  6. What’s the role of local government?
  7. What are the characteristics of a great President?
  8. How can power corrupt?
  9. Who gives us our rights?
  10. If you could meet one politician (past or present), who would it be, and why?

Conversation Starters for Teens: Ages 13 - 18

  1. How do your activities fit into your future dreams?
  2. How do you think your activities prepare you for adulthood?
  3. What’s the formula for success in your favorite activity?
  4. How do you feel your coach could be a better leader?
  5. How could your coach get more commitment from your team?
  6. Do you feel I hold you back from excelling in your activities? If so, why?
  7. What activity would you like to try if only you had more time?
  8. When do you lack confidence in your abilities?
  9. Who handles pressure best, and why?
  10. If you had four hours to do anything you wanted, what would it be?
  11. Who’s the most encouraging teammate you have?
  12. How can you be more encouraging to others?
  13. How can I be more involved in your activities?
  14. What’s been your greatest accomplishment?
  15. How do you prepare for high-pressure situations?
  1. What influences your behavior?
  2. What is character?
  3. Who in your life exhibits the most character?
  4. What is integrity?
  5. When is it difficult to show character?
  6. Who in your life exhibits the most integrity?
  7. What person from the Bible showed the most character, and why?
  8. How have your values changed over time?
  9. How have others attacked your character?
  10. What are values, and who determines them?
  11. Tell me when you recently used self-control.
  12. What are virtues, and who determines them?
  13. Tell me when you recently used self-control.
  14. How do you become trusted by others?
  15. What determines the truth about something?

Conversations about the Future

  1. What’s a parent’s role in dating?
  2. What leads to successful relationships between girls and boys?
  3. How important is it to you that the person you date has the same values?
  4. What traits do you/will you seek in someone to date?
  5. How are group dates better or worse than individual dating?
  6. What’s the purpose of dating?
  7. What must you have in common with someone before you would date him/her?
  8. How long should a couple date before they get married?
  9. What are the risks associated with sex before marriage?
  10. Is sex before marriage right or wrong, and why?
  11. What are things that would cause you to break up with a girlfriend?
  12. How can you show respect to girls?
  13. What does the Bible say about dating?
  14. What one trait must your future spouse have, and why?
  15. When do you think boys and girls should start dating?
  1. If you could relive a part of your life, when would it be, and why?
  2. How have disappointments helped you to help others?
  3. How do you handle disappointment?
  4. When have you worked hard at something, but it still didn’t work out? How did you handle it?
  5. What do you do when things seem unfair?
  6. What has been your greatest disappointment?
  7. How could you have prevented your greatest disappointment?
  8. Where do you turn to deal with disappointment?
  9. How have I disappointed you?
  10. What was your greatest disappointment with a friend?

Conversations about Relationships

  1. What are your dreams for your future?
  2. How has God spoken to you through dreams?
  3. In what sport would you love to be the best, and why?
  4. If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be, and why?
  5. Do you want to have kids when you grow up? Why or why not?
  6. If you could take a trip anywhere, where would it be? Why?
  7. If you could spend a day with one person, who would it be? Why?
  8. How have your dreams changed over time?
  9. If money were no object, what would you do with the rest of your life?
  10. If you could invest in one thing what would it be?
  1. What is an enemy?
  2. How do you treat your enemies?
  3. How should you treat your enemies?
  4. What causes people to become enemies?
  5. Where does forgiveness play a role in the relationship between enemies?
  6. What does it mean to forgive someone?
  7. When have you created an enemy?
  8. How does time heal wounds with enemies? Or does it not?
  9. What role does God play with your enemies?
  10. When was the last time you really prayed for an enemy?

Conversations about Culture and Religion

  1. What’s your favorite TV show, and why?
  2. What’s your favorite movie, and why?
  3. If you had a day to do anything you wanted, what would it be?
  4. What’s your favorite thing to do with your friends?
  5. What types of entertainment are displeasing to God?
  6. How much TV is enough per day, and why?
  7. What kind of music do you like to listen to, and why?
  8. Who is your favorite music group, and why?
  9. What’s your favorite song? Why do you like it?
  10. What TV show exhibits the most virtues, and why?
  11. Which movie exhibits the most virtues, and why?
  12. Who is you favorite actor, and why?
  13. If you could go to one single sporting event what would it be, and why?
  14. Who would you like to see in concert if they came to town?
  15. What do I watch on TV that you think is inappropriate, and why?
  1. How has your faith made you a better person?
  2. What’s your favorite book of the Bible, and why?
  3. Do you believe in Creation or Evolution (or both), and why?
  4. Who’s the most Christ-like person you know, and why?
  5. Is God loving, justifiably angry, or both?
  6. Why do bad things happen to good people?
  7. What is truth?
  8. How do you get to Heaven?
  9. What does the term “moral compass” mean to you?
  10. Are you pro-life or pro-choice, and why?
  11. What do you think Heaven will be like?
  12. What do you find confusing about the Bible?
  13. How trustworthy is Scripture, and what is your proof?
  14. Where does evil come from?
  15. What is the purpose of the church?

Conversations about Family and Friends

  1. When have you ever been embarrassed to be part of our family?
  2. If you could change one thing about me, what would it be?
  3. What’s your favorite story about your mom/dad?
  4. What’s the best trait that you think you’ve picked up from your mom/dad?
  5. How could you be a better brother/sister?
  6. What was your favorite family vacation, and why?
  7. What’s your favorite family activity, and why?
  8. How do you think I could better prepare you for adulthood?
  9. When you have kids, how will you discipline them differently than I do now?
  10. Would you tell me if a sibling was doing something dangerous, and why?
  11. How would you describe me to your best friend?
  12. What are our family’s values?
  13. What’s the earliest memory you have?
  14. Do you feel that I listen well to you? How can I improve?
  15. What one chore would you like to stop having to do, and why?
  1. Why is it important to have common values in a friendship?
  2. Do any of your friends smoke, drink, or do drugs? What do you think about that?
  3. Have friends ever asked you to smoke, drink, or try drugs? How did you handle it?
  4. Have you ever tried to talk friends out of smoking, drinking, or drugs? Did it work?
  5. Who’s your best friend, and why?
  6. When should you tell a secret a friend has told you?
  7. How can you be kind to someone who needs a friend?
  8. What do you think is the most important trait in a friend, and why?
  9. When have you felt you needed to end a friendship, and why?
  10. Where’s your favorite place to make new friends, and why?
  11. What’s your favorite thing to do with a group of your friends?
  12. Do you envy of any of your friends? Which ones, and why?
  13. How are you a good friend to others?
  14. How can you be a better friend to someone in your life?
  15. What’s your definition of a friend?

Conversations about Personal Responsibility

  1. What are your goals for the next five years?
  2. How should your parents contribute to your goal setting?
  3. What are your spiritual goals?
  4. What kind of goals are the easiest for you to achieve?
  5. How do you learn from goals in which your performance fell short?
  6. What are your goals for this year?
  7. When is failure a good thing?
  8. When is comparing yourself to others a good thing? When is it a bad thing?
  9. Do you think everyone accomplishes all the goals they set?
  10. What do you want to be when you grow up?
  11. How do you measure yourself against your goals?
  12. What profession interests you the most and why?
  13. What goals do you have that involve other people?
  14. How do you determine your goals?
  15. What kind of goals are the most difficult for you to achieve?
  1. What’s the greatest health concern facing our country?
  2. How do you stay healthy spiritually?
  3. When do you handle your emotions well?
  4. How do you stay healthy mentally?
  5. How do you take care of your body?
  6. What is your favorite active thing to do with your body?
  7. What are your favorite healthy foods?
  8. When is it hard to handle your feelings in a healthy way?
  9. How important is it to you to be healthy?
  10. How do you take care of your brain?
  11. What’s a healthy way to handle feelings and emotions?
  12. How can you improve your spiritual health?
  13. How can you improve your mental health?
  14. What is your definition of “healthy”?
  15. Which is most important: physical health, spiritual health, or mental health? Why?

Conversations about Community

  1. How can credit cards cause problems?
  2. How does a credit card work?
  3. What are your financial goals?
  4. How do you decide if a purchase is wise?
  5. How does a debit card work?
  6. If a friend asked to borrow money from you, what would you say?
  7. How do you decide how much money to tithe to God?
  8. For what kinds of things do you save up your money?
  9. How would you like to handle money better?
  10. What’s your favorite way to make money?
  11. How do you determine how much you save or spend from what you earn?
  12. What’s the worst purchase you ever made, and why?
  13. If I gave you $100 right now, what would you do with it?
  14. What have you purchased that seems like a waste of money today? Why?
  15. When did you decide not to buy something, and it turned out to be a great decision?
  1. Do you have any classes you feel you could do better in? How could you improve?
  2. What would you like to be doing after you graduate from college?
  3. What is your favorite elective class (art, music, shop, home ec, etc.), and why?
  4. When has something your teacher has taught been in conflict with your values and beliefs?
  5. What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?
  6. If you were being bulled in school, how would you like your parents to handle it?
  7. What’s your favorite class, and why?
  8. What’s your least favorite class, and why?
  9. In what ways do you see “the wrong things” being rewarded at school?
  10. Who do you trust the most at your school, and why?
  11. If you could teach one subject in school, what would it be and why?
  12. Have you ever experienced bullying in your school?
  13. In what way do you envy kids who go to public or private school?
  14. What’s your favorite teacher’s best character trait?
  15. How does someone have to act in order to be popular in school?

Conversations about Social Responsibility

  1. How much time do you put into social media each day or week?
  2. Why should your parents monitor your online and cell phone activity?
  3. Why should your parents not monitor your online and cell phone activity?
  4. How often should I review your activities for your accountability?
  5. Which site do you like the most, and why?
  6. How should you decide what to post online or not?
  7. When do you think social media begins to get in the way of real life?
  8. What should you do if you see something inappropriate online?
  9. What does your school teach you about technology and the internet?
  10. When do you text vs. call someone?
  11. What kind of information should you avoid putting online? Why?
  12. How do you see cell phones being misused?
  13. What do you consider inappropriate behavior on social media sites?
  14. What do you like about social media?
  15. How much do you think your use of social media will affect getting a job later?
  1. Who should have more power: the federal government, or the state?
  2. What is judicial activism?
  3. Should the government do more or less for us, and why?
  4. How much do you think people should pay in taxes?
  5. What form of government do you think is best?
  6. What do you think should be the punishment for murder?
  7. When should free speech be limited?
  8. What does “separation of church and state” mean?
  9. What law do you think is a bad law, and why?
  10. How can power corrupt?
  11. When is going to war the right decision?
  12. What other country do you fear the most, and why?
  13. Who gives us our rights?
  14. What role did faith play in the founding of our nation?
  15. Give me some examples of free speech?

Conversation Starters for Adult Kids: Ages 19+

  1. How do your activities fit into your future dreams?
  2. What’s the formula for success in your favorite activity?
  3. If you had four hours to do anything you wanted, what would it be?
  4. Who’s the most encouraging teammate you have?
  5. How can you be more encouraging to others?
  6. How can I be more involved in your activities?
  7. What’s been your greatest accomplishment?
  8. How do you prepare for high-pressure situations?
  9. What activities do you enjoy in college? 
  10. What do you hope becomes a life-long activity?
  1. What influences your behavior?
  2. Who in your life exhibits the most character?
  3. What is character?
  4. What is integrity?
  5. When is it difficult to show character?
  6. Who in your life exhibits the most integrity?
  7. What person from the Bible showed the most character, and why?
  8. How have your values changed over time?
  9. How have others attacked your character?
  10. Tell me about a time when you were patient.
  11. Tell me about a time when you decided to be diligent.
  12. What has shaped your values?
  13. Tell me about a time when you stuck with a commitment.
  14. Tell me when you recently showed loyalty.
  15. What are values, and who determines them?
  16. Tell me when you recently used self-control.
  17. What are virtues, and who determines them?
  18. What is morality?
  19. How does someone restore lost integrity?
  20. What influences your morality?

Conversations about the Future

  1. What’s a parent’s role in dating?
  2. What leads to successful relationships between girls and boys?
  3. How important is it to you that the person you date has the same values?
  4. What traits do you/will you seek in someone to date?
  5. How are group dates better or worse than individual dating?
  6. What’s the purpose of dating?
  7. What must you have in common with someone before you would date him/her?
  8. How long should a couple date before they get married?
  9. What can you learn from your parents’ experience in dating?
  10. What one trait must your future spouse not have, and why?
  11. How have you seen dating hurt people?
  12. What things about dating make you concerned?
  13. What are the risks associated with sex before marriage?
  14. Is sex before marriage right or wrong, and why?
  15. What are things that would cause you to break up with a girlfriend?
  16. How can you show respect to girls?
  17. How have you seen dating too early cause problems?
  18. What mistakes have you seen friends make with their girlfriends/boyfriends?
  19. What does the Bible say about dating?
  20. What do you know about your parents’ experience in dating?
  1. How have disappointments helped you to help others?
  2. If you could relive a part of your life, when would it be, and why?
  3. How do you handle disappointment?
  4. When have you worked hard at something, but it still didn’t work out? How did you handle it?
  5. What do you do when things seem unfair?
  6. What has been your greatest disappointment?
  7. How could you have prevented your greatest disappointment?
  8. Where do you turn to deal with disappointment?
  9. How have I disappointed you?
  10. What was your greatest disappointment with a friend?

Conversations about Relationships

  1. What are your dreams for your future?
  2. How has God spoken to you through dreams?
  3. What do you think is the perfect age, and why?
  4. If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be, and why?
  5. Do you want to have kids when you grow up? Why or why not?
  6. If you could take a trip anywhere, where would it be? Why?
  7. If you could spend a day with one person, who would it be? Why?
  8. How have your dreams changed over time?
  9. If money were no object, what would you do with the rest of your life?
  10. If you could invest in one thing what would it be?
  1. What is an enemy?
  2. How do you treat your enemies?
  3. How should you treat your enemies?
  4. What causes people to become enemies?
  5. Where does forgiveness play a role in the relationship between enemies?
  6. When have you created an enemy, and how did it happen?
  7. How would you do things differently?
  8. How does time heal wounds with enemies? Or does it not?
  9. What role does God play with your enemies?
  10. When was the last time you really prayed for an enemy?

Conversations about Culture and Religion

  1. What’s your favorite TV show, and why?
  2. What’s your favorite movie, and why?
  3. If you had a day to do anything you wanted, what would it be?
  4. What’s your favorite thing to do with your friends?
  5. What kind of music do you like to listen to, and why?
  6. Who is your favorite music group, and why?
  7. What’s your favorite song? Why do you like it?
  8. Who is you favorite actor, and why?
  9. If you could go to one single sporting event what would it be, and why?
  10. Who would you like to see in concert if they came to town?
  1. How has your faith made you a better person?
  2. What’s your favorite book of the Bible, and why?
  3. Do you believe in Creation or Evolution (or both), and why?
  4. Who’s the most Christ-like person you know, and why?
  5. Is God loving, justifiably angry, or both?
  6. Why do bad things happen to good people?
  7. What is truth?
  8. What is reality?
  9. How do you get to Heaven?
  10. What does the term “moral compass” mean to you?
  11. Are you pro-life or pro-choice, and why?
  12. What’s your favorite Bible story, and why?
  13. What do you think Heaven will be like?
  14. Besides Jesus, what person from the Bible would you like to meet, and why?
  15. Who in the Bible (besides Jesus) do you respect the most, and why?
  16. How did God create the Earth?
  17. How trustworthy is Scripture, and what is your proof?
  18. Is man basically good or evil?
  19. Where does evil come from?
  20. What is the purpose of the church?

Conversations about Family and Friends

  1. When have you ever been embarrassed to be part of our family?
  2. If you could change one thing about me, what would it be?
  3. Describe your favorite story about your mom/dad?
  4. What’s the best trait that you think you’ve picked up from your mom/dad?
  5. How could you be a better brother/sister?
  6. What was your favorite family vacation, and why?
  7. What’s your favorite family activity, and why?
  8. How has owning a pet made you a better person?
  9. When you have kids, how will you discipline them differently than I do now?
  10. Do you feel that I listen well to you? How can I improve?
  11. What role should mom/dad play in your dating?
  12. When will you consider yourself a “real” adult, and why?
  13. What’s your favorite trait from each of your siblings?
  14. How would you like our family to be different than it is today?
  15. What family do you respect for their faithfulness to God?
  16. When are you the most proud to be part of our family?
  17. What are our family’s values?
  18. What’s the earliest memory you have?
  19. Who is it that you aim to please the most, and why?
  20. What one chore would you like to stop having to do, and why?
  1. Why is it important to have common values in a friendship?
  2. Do any of your friends smoke, drink, or do drugs?
  3. What do you think about that?
  4. Have friends ever asked you to smoke, drink, or try drugs? How did you handle it?
  5. How have you responded to peer pressure about smoking, drinking, and drugs?
  6. Who’s your best friend, and why?
  7. When is it OK to keep a secret for a friend?
  8. When should you tell a secret a friend has told you?
  9. How can you be kind to someone who needs a friend?
  10. What do you think is the most important trait in a friend, and why?
  11. When have you felt you needed to end a friendship, and why?
  12. Where’s your favorite place to make new friends, and why?
  13. What’s your favorite thing to do with a group of your friends?
  14. Which friend has the best influence on you, and why?
  15. Which friend has the worst influence on you, and why?
  16. Tell me about a recent time when a friend betrayed you.
  17. Which of your friend’s parents treat you with the most respect, and how?
  18. Do you envy any of your friends? Which ones, and why?
  19. How are you a good friend to others?
  20. How can you be a better friend to someone in your life?

Conversations about Personal Responsibility

  1. What are your goals for the next five years?
  2. How do you determine your goals?
  3. How should your parents contribute to your goal setting?
  4. What kind of goals are the easiest for you to achieve?
  5. When have you encountered having too many goals?
  6. How do you learn from goals in which your performance fell short?
  7. What makes a goal challenging?
  8. When is failure a good thing?
  9. What profession interests you the most and why?
  10. When is comparing yourself to others a good thing? When is it a bad thing?
  11. How do you handle setbacks or failures in reaching your goals?
  12. What goals do you have that involve other people?
  13. Do you think everyone accomplishes all the goals they set?
  14. What kind of goals are the most difficult for you to achieve?
  15. How do you like to celebrate your achievement of a goal?
  16. What’s the most challenging goal you have ever set for yourself?
  17. Do you keep your goals private, or do you share them with others?
  18. Who does the best job in encouraging you to achieve your goals, and why?
  19. How often do you pray about your goals?
  20. Where do your goals and God’s will intersect?
  1. What’s the greatest health concern facing our country?
  2. What’s the greatest health concern facing our youth?
  3. How do you stay healthy spiritually and mentally?
  4. How do you take care of your body?
  5. What is your favorite active thing to do with your body?
  6. What are your favorite healthy foods?
  7. How can you improve your spiritual and mental health?
  8. What’s a healthy way to handle feelings and emotions?
  9. When do you handle your emotions well?
  10. How important is it to you to be healthy?
  11. What’s your favorite sport to play?
  12. What do your friends do that you think is healthy?
  13. When is it hard to handle your feelings in a healthy way?
  14. What do your friends do that you think is unhealthy?
  15. How can you glorify God with your body and mind?
  16. What one lifestyle change do you think would have the best impact on your health?
  17. How much do your future career goals require fitness?
  18. How can I be a better role model for healthy living?
  19. What is your definition of “healthy”?
  20. Which is most important: physical health, spiritual health, or mental health? Why?

Conversations about Community

  1. What friend of yours handles money the best, and why?
  2. How can credit cards cause problems?
  3. How does a credit card work?
  4. What’s the purpose of insurance?
  5. How does a debit card work?
  6. How are taxes good or bad?
  7. What are your financial goals?
  8. How do you decide if a purchase is wise?
  9. If a friend asked to borrow money from you, what would you say?
  10. How do you decide how much money to tithe to God?
  11. For what kinds of things do you save up your money?
  12. What’s your favorite way to make money?
  13. What does our family spend money on that you think is wasteful?
  14. When is borrowing money wise or acceptable?
  15. How do you determine how much you save or spend from what you earn?
  16. How have you used your money to help others?
  17. What’s the worst purchase you ever made, and why?
  18. If I gave you $100 right now, what would you do with it?
  19. What have you purchased that seems like a waste of money today? Why?
  20. When did you decide not to buy something, and it turned out to be a great decision?
  1. Do you have any classes you feel you could do better in? How could you improve?
  2. When has something your teacher has taught been in conflict with your values and beliefs?
  3. What would you like to be doing after you graduate from college?
  4. How do you handle a teacher/class when you disagree with the ideas or values presented?
  5. What’s your favorite class, and why?
  6. What’s your least favorite class, and why?
  7. Which teacher has had the most influence on you, and how?
  8. Is there anything I could do to help you succeed in any of your classes?
  9. Which types of tests are most difficult for you, and why?
  10. If you could teach one subject in school, what would it be and why?

Conversations about Social Responsibility

  1. How much time do you put into social media each day or week?
  2. Which site do you like the least?
  3. Why should your parents monitor your online and cell phone activity?
  4. Why should your parents not monitor your online and cell phone activity?
  5. How often should I review your activities for your accountability?
  6. How do your friends use Facebook?
  7. Which site do you like the most, and why?
  8. How should you decide what to post online or not?
  9. When do you think social media begins to get in the way of real life?
  10. What should you do if you see something inappropriate online?
  11. How do your friends encourage you to behave appropriately online?
  12. What do you consider inappropriate behavior on social media sites?
  13. What are some of the dangers on online social media?
  14. How do you encourage your friends to behave appropriately online?
  15. How do you see cell phones being misused?
  16. What are the dangers associated with inappropriate cell phone use?
  17. When do you text vs. call someone?
  18. Do you have a friend who is at risk with his/her online behavior? If so, who?
  19. What do you like about social media?
  20. How much do you think your use of social media will affect getting a job later?
  1. Who should have more power: the federal government, or the state?
  2. What is judicial activism?
  3. Should the government do more or less for us, and why?
  4. How much do you think people should pay in taxes?
  5. What form of government do you think is best?
  6. What politician do you respect the most, and why?
  7. Toward what need would you spend more government money?
  8. What do you think should be the punishment for murder?
  9. What does “separation of church and state” mean?
  10. Who do the think was our best president ever, and why?
  11. What law do you think is a bad law, and why?
  12. Who gives us our rights?
  13. What is the best thing that government does?
  14. What is the worst thing that government does?
  15. Should we have term limits on Congress? Why, or why not?
  16. What do you think should be done about illegal immigration?
  17. When is going to war the right decision?
  18. Who has been the best president during your life, and why?
  19. When should free speech be limited?
  20. If you could meet one politician (past or present), who would it be, and why?
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