Family Activities

Making Contact

Cooking with the Kids

Mother teaching young daughter to bakeWhat do you call a healthy meal or snack that combines a pizza and a quesadilla? A Pizzadilla! Click here for the Pizzadilla with Red Sauce recipe that you can make with the kids. Yummy!

 

 

 

Conversation Starters

Most people like to share about themselves and their interests. Here are some conversation starters you can use with the whole family. Work together to add your own sentence starters and questions to the ones provided.

  • Write each prompt on a slip of paper and keep them in a jar on the table. During a meal, have someone draw a slip and then have everyone share their response.
  • Get a Jenga type game and write each prompt on a block. When someone pulls a block they read the prompt and everyone playing shares an answer.
  • Car Talk: What better way to engage a captive audience than in the car.
    • My favorite day of the week is ________________ because ________________.
    • If I were a superhero I’d be called ________________ and my superpower would be ________________.
    • What is your favorite food?
    • What are the three most interesting things about you?
    • Something that makes me feel good is ________________.
    • What is your favorite thing about school?
    • What do you like to do for fun?
    • My favorite color is ________________.
    • What is your favorite movie or book? Why?
    • People know I’m feeling worried when ________________.
    • The National Resource Center for Youth Services has an Online Store where you can purchase additional resources with more ideas for conversation starters. Check them out!

 

    Tag You’re It! 50 Simple Ways to Connect with YouthTag You’re It! 50 Simple Ways to Connect with Youth

    The single most important thing that can make a difference in the life of a young person is the presence of caring adults. This charming book provides 50 simple acts of caring to reach out to those young people who will thrive from the attention of a caring adult.





    Trouble Talking with Teens? Conversations on the GoTrouble Talking with Teens? Conversations on the Go

    Clever questions to keep teens and grown-ups talking.These are simple questions to help you start conversations with youth and spark discussion. Take it with you wherever you go with youth: sports practice, in a car or in a group. It’s easy, it’s fun and it works.