the family hub

School starts for our boys this week and we’re already brainstorming ways to avoid the usual “How was school today?” followed by the quick and unhelpful “fine” response. When it all boils down to it, we want to be there for them in every new experience, in every exciting/scary/breakthrough/heart-warming moment of their lives, and inevitably that’s just not possible. The idea of “the family hub”, or a place where everyone can gather – whether it’s do homework or eat a meal – and most importantly talk about our days seems like the next best thing. Here’s how we made our “hub”:hub jars | small fry
Each kid paints their own jar, these jars come out during the specific times you gather at the table, we filled our jars with supplies for being creative and doing homework.

mason-3

Then we added the best conversation starting questions we could find (see the bottom of the post for the list), pooled from all around the web. Strips of paper with questions that will help us all learn about one another’s day, dreams, fears, hopes, and get a good conversation going around the table.

hub jars | small fry 

(Sunny is wearing a romper from Paige Lauren Baby’s Sorbet line. It’s unbelievably soft and for those of you who’ve asked PLB is our go-to for layette and infant basics!)

Keep reading for the convo questions!

  1. What do you like to dream about?
  2. What is your best memory this school year?
  3. Who is your hero? Why?
  4. How would you describe your family?
  5. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?
  6. What are you most proud of yourself for?
  7. Who is the kindest person you know? Why?
  8. What do you like most about your best friend?
  9. What is one thing you would like to learn to do well?
  10. If you were an animal what one would you be and why?
  11. When is the last time someome hurt your feelings? How did you react?
  12. Do you know someone who is going though a hard time? How can you help them?
  13. What is the scariest thing that happened this year?
  14. If you could keep only one thing, out of everything you have, what would it be?
  15. Who do you think is really successful? Why?
  16. What’s the best thing about your teacher this year?
  17. When do you feel misunderstood by grown-ups?
  18. What three words best describe you?
  19. What’s something that makes you angry?
  20. What’s the best compliment you ever received?
  21. What’s the worst thing about being ______ years old?
  22. What does your teacher do really well?
  23. What has been the happiest day of your life?
  24. What is the best thing about being _____ years old?
  25. If you could make one rule that everyone had to follow what would it be?
  26. How would the world be different if animals could talk?
  27. What’s your favorite part of the school day?
  28. What is one thing you couldn’t live without?
  29. What do you do to cheer yourself up?
  30. What is your dream job?
  31. What is one chore you never want to do?
  32. If you could be any animal for a week, which would you pick?
  33. What would you buy with $100 dollars?
  34. If you had to eat one dinner everyday for the rest of the year what would it be?
  35. What’s the best thing that happened today?

Preschool Geared Questions

  1. What makes you smile?
  2. Who do you like to play with the most?
  3. How are you like Mommy?
  4. Would you rather swing, play in the water, or play tag?
  5. If you had wings where would you fly?
  6. What is your favorite thing to do with mommy?
  7. What makes you sad?
  8. Who do you like to visit the most?
  9. How are you like daddy?
  10. If you could be any animal what would you be?
  11. If you could be anyone in a movie or book who would you be?
  12. What is your favorite thing to do with daddy?
  13. What makes you feel better when you’re sad?
  14. Who’s your favorite super hero / princess?
  15. What makes someone a nice person?

4 Comments

  • Kelly
    August 19, 2013 at 6:18 am

    I love this idea – your conversation starters are so lovely. And Sunny’s romper looks so soft!

    Reply
  • Marie
    August 19, 2013 at 10:53 am

    This is a great idea! I have a son and could totally see after school conversations feeling like pulling teeth if I just asked an open-ended “How was your day?”. Love it.

    Reply
  • Camp Giraffe Preschool
    August 26, 2013 at 12:54 am

    The support and environment of a family is very a important for the overall kid development in their early age

    Reply
  • […] station makes after school a little more exciting for everyone. there is even a great list of conversation starters which may actually encourage an answer besides […]

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