2 quick and easy DIY projects to get the whole family talking at the table! A conversation starter jar with over 101 questions and free printable mealtime placemats!
A national survey found that less than one-third of American families eat dinner together most nights, but when asked, the great majority of people say they believe that family dinner is one of the most important ways to maintain family communication. {According to William J. Doherty Ph.D., The Intentional Family}
Family dinner time IS important and the MOST important part is the talkingand bonding that happens around the dinner table! Today we have 2 amazing projects to add to your dinner table that will ensure EVERY family dinner together is memorable!
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“So . . . how was your day?”
“Fine.”
Sound familiar? Fine? Just fine? Doesn’t make for an interesting conversation now does it? Family dinner time is all about connecting. It is a time in the day to gather around the table and really talk to one another. BUT sometimes those family bonding conversations need a little kickstart! Here is one super fun way to get the conversation {and laugher} rolling at your next family meal!
This project includes 101 different conversation prompts. Prompts range from, “If you could change your name – what would you change it to & why?” all the way to “Tell the person to your left something you love about them” Fun right? With 101 different prompts – it is guaranteed you won’t run out of things to talk about for a long long time!
All the questions were taken by the lovely Courtney at All Things Bright & Beautiful and turned into these adorable printables! She is seriously so talented and can create anything you can imagine! After downloading her work head on over to her site to say thanks and see what else she has!
To create your own Table Topics jar, cut out the question prompts. To make my jar look more appealing {it will be on my table after all!} I took each question and rolled them around a mini glue stick to form a unique little scrolls. I also made sure to put the colored side to the outside of the circle so my jar will be extra colorful!
Put your question prompts into a glass jar. I got mine at Hobby Lobby when they had a 50% sale. If they aren’t having a sale you will definitely want to use a 40% off coupon. If you have a smartphone just download the app, show it to them at the register & BAM 40% off! I love that! They had a LOT of styles to choose from.
When your questions are all in your jar, you can add the adorable label to the outside. Because it was on glass I used a hot glue gun to attach my label to the jar. Also a little tip – start at the center circle and do section by section. This will help to make sure it is straight AND the glue will stick to the glass better!
Now the fun part! Put your new jar on the table at meal time and take turns pulling a question out. You can either choose one question and have everyone at the table answer OR have each person choose a different question. We have had SO much fun doing this at mealtime – this will be one of our most memorable family traditions for sure!
This jar was so cute and so easy to make that I made a few more jars for gifts! I think that this is the PERFECT gift idea! It is something that ANY family could benefit from and is thoughtful too!
***
The Dinner Conversation Jar is just ONE great way to get the family talking. Here is one more way to not only get your kiddos talking at the table BUT ALSO keep them occupied while you prepare dinner!
“When is dinner going to be ready?”
Whine. Whimper. Pout.
Sound familiar? Making family dinner is no easy task with hungry little ones tugging at your shirt requiring attention. The mealtime placemat is a GREAT way to not only keep the kiddos occupied while you cook, but it also becomes something to talk about over dinner – a win win!
DIY mealtime placemat for kids with free printables – front side
To make your own dinnertime placemats download the darling printable created by Courtney {All Things Bright & Beautiful} She is seriously SO talented. When I have kids of my own, I think this would be so fun to have her personalize placemats with my kid’s names on it. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Courtney created these in 2 different sizes for you, too! There is an 8.5 x 11 version so you can print from your home computer and an 11×17 version which is the perfect size for a placemat!
And there you have it! 2 simple DIY projects to add to your dinner table! The Dinner Conversation Jar is just ONE great way to get the family talking. The creative placemats are ONE more way to not only get your kiddos talking at the table BUT ALSO keep them occupied while you prepare dinner! I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!
If you go to your local print store to have them make the copies, you can have them print the two sides back to back & then laminate it. I recommend the harder lamination since this will hopefully be used again and again!
Not only do these darling placemats have games like boxes & tic tac toe, but they have sections where the kids can write or draw the things that happened in their day. This is the PERFECT moment to have the kids show their pictures to you over dinner and tell you about their favorite part of the day.
Next time while you are making dinner just whip these placemats out, hand your kids some dry erase markers and you are set!
And there you have it!
2 simple DIY projects to add to your dinner table! I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!
Chatting with your kids about their fears, hopes, dreams, ideas, & memories is the best way to get into that little head of theirs, and get closer to them! We’ve created 300 conversation topics of fun family questions & prompts to get you talking together.
Printables Designed By Courtney @ All Things Bright and Beautiful Exclusively For The Dating Divas
Sarina
I met my husband, in a beginning ballroom dance class at the age of 15. He was my first crush, my first date, and twelve years (to the day) later we married. Together we enjoy traveling the world, and, of course, going on creative dates! I am a former theatre teacher who now stays at home with a spunky little boy. I love dancing, hosting parties, photography, organizing & chocolate!
This post here is the updated version of our original “Hot Topics” post. It includes the same question content as the original in this newer, updated version. Was there something specific you were looking for?
I am sorry that you have had trouble. To download the conversation cards, scroll down to the bottom of the post and click on there will be a pink bar that says, “Click to Download Our” and then it says “Conversation Starter Jar”. If you click on the pink bar – the document should open up in a new tab and you can print or download to your computer from there.
I can help you with that! At the very end of the post there is a large pink bar that says “Click to download our” and then below that “Conversation Starter Jar”. If you click on the pink bar it will open up a new page and display all of the printables. From there you can print or download the pages depending on your internet browser. I hope that was helpful!
I am going to have fun ? putting this together for my brother, his wife and three kiddos to give as a family Christmas? present ?this year! Thank you so much! ❤ ❤ ❤
These are adorable projects! Can you help me find the link to the dinnertime conversation questions? I clicked on the two links in that part of the post and they both go to another blog, and I wasn’t able to find the questions anywhere on her site either.
I am so glad that you are going to do this with your family! You will LOVE it! At the very bottom of the post is a phrase in large pink letters that says ” DOWNLOAD YOUR TABLE TOPIC PROMPTS PRINTABLE HERE” Just click on that and you can print from home! Enjoy!
This will be the third year we have done Table Talk at dinner in our home. It’s always a challenge to see who gets to go first. We each get one or two convos and everyone answers the questions, clockwise of course. We have taken that little mason jar of surprises on vacation, to grandparents houses, and at birthday parties! Dinner guests are often mildly amused until they get into the game themselves, then they are asking for copies of the convos and taking home memories! The girls’ guests may not come back for a few months, but always ask about the jar! We LOVE this nightly entertainment. It helps me to remember to have dinner at the table as much as possible, the girls ask for it when I forget! I am always looking for new ideas and new convos to use since we go through about 6 per night! Please keep me in the loop if you update your lists! Also, I love the placemats, I’ll be passing those on to moms with smaller kiddos 🙂
Thank you SO MUCH for these awesome and thoughtful topics! We have a cute glass jar full of these colorful printed questions and whenever we eat together at the table or just don’t know what to talk about, my boyfriend and I take turns and answer these. The questions really help us know more about ourselves and each other! Thank you again!
I am SO in love with this post!!!! Everything about it. Literally & LOVE that there are cute placemats for the kidlets. Always fun to have something new to change things up in the daily grind of things. 😉 XOXO
Hi! I am looking forward to the 7 days of love challenge- Just wondering where my day 1 email is or if it comes at a certain time? I signed up last night. Thanks so much!
Hi! I would love to download the list and start doing this with my hubby and three daughters. The link, however, shows as invalid. Could you email me the file?
This is so much better than having to buy one of the sets they are selling. Thank you for the idea. Our supper activity is writing our favorite memories of the day on a large index card. I purchased a cute index card box that holds all our memories and I look forward to reading them year after year! Not sure where I heard the idea, but we have loved stopping and remembering our day before it is over.
and you are set! 
We love your comments
Hi, the link for the Hot Topics is no longer available. Can you help me out with this?
This post here is the updated version of our original “Hot Topics” post. It includes the same question content as the original in this newer, updated version. Was there something specific you were looking for?
Thank you for the printables! They are beautiful and great for kids 🙂
You are so welcome! We love them here at our house.
Hi! I am not finding the link to download the conversation topics for the post Hot topics at dinner
I am sorry that you have had trouble. To download the conversation cards, scroll down to the bottom of the post and click on there will be a pink bar that says, “Click to Download Our” and then it says “Conversation Starter Jar”. If you click on the pink bar – the document should open up in a new tab and you can print or download to your computer from there.
I would like to download the conversation starter printables, but can’t seem to figure out how – Thanks.
I can help you with that! At the very end of the post there is a large pink bar that says “Click to download our” and then below that “Conversation Starter Jar”. If you click on the pink bar it will open up a new page and display all of the printables. From there you can print or download the pages depending on your internet browser. I hope that was helpful!
I am going to have fun ? putting this together for my brother, his wife and three kiddos to give as a family Christmas? present ?this year! Thank you so much! ❤ ❤ ❤
What a great idea for a Christmas gift! They will love it!
Hi,
These are adorable projects! Can you help me find the link to the dinnertime conversation questions? I clicked on the two links in that part of the post and they both go to another blog, and I wasn’t able to find the questions anywhere on her site either.
Thanks!
Becky
I am so glad that you are going to do this with your family! You will LOVE it! At the very bottom of the post is a phrase in large pink letters that says ” DOWNLOAD YOUR TABLE TOPIC PROMPTS PRINTABLE HERE” Just click on that and you can print from home! Enjoy!
This will be the third year we have done Table Talk at dinner in our home. It’s always a challenge to see who gets to go first. We each get one or two convos and everyone answers the questions, clockwise of course. We have taken that little mason jar of surprises on vacation, to grandparents houses, and at birthday parties! Dinner guests are often mildly amused until they get into the game themselves, then they are asking for copies of the convos and taking home memories! The girls’ guests may not come back for a few months, but always ask about the jar! We LOVE this nightly entertainment. It helps me to remember to have dinner at the table as much as possible, the girls ask for it when I forget! I am always looking for new ideas and new convos to use since we go through about 6 per night! Please keep me in the loop if you update your lists! Also, I love the placemats, I’ll be passing those on to moms with smaller kiddos 🙂
Thank you SO MUCH for these awesome and thoughtful topics! We have a cute glass jar full of these colorful printed questions and whenever we eat together at the table or just don’t know what to talk about, my boyfriend and I take turns and answer these. The questions really help us know more about ourselves and each other! Thank you again!
These are really cool. Thanks for sharing!
Love this! Will definitely make these as neighbor gifts!
I am SO in love with this post!!!! Everything about it. Literally & LOVE that there are cute placemats for the kidlets. Always fun to have something new to change things up in the daily grind of things. 😉 XOXO
Hi! I am looking forward to the 7 days of love challenge- Just wondering where my day 1 email is or if it comes at a certain time? I signed up last night. Thanks so much!
Hey Megan! Check your spam or trash folders… if they aren’t in there, email Ferren@thedatingdivas.com and she’ll make sure you get them. XOXO
Hi! I would love to download the list and start doing this with my hubby and three daughters. The link, however, shows as invalid. Could you email me the file?
Christy-Hi! I have updated the link and it should work now. Thanks!
I would like to use the Hot Topic’s but it say’s the file is no longer available.
Thanks
Melanie-I have updated the link and it is ready to go! Thanks so much!
We are using a Mason Jar for our 'box' 🙂 I always have those around
The link to the “Hot Topics” is no longer valid. Could you please update it and let me know when it’s usable again? THANKS!!!
Hey Molly- Do you want me to email you the file directly? Thanks
MollyJ-Thanks for letting us know. I have updated the link and it is ready to go!
This is Fantastic! I can't wait to use these. This is a great way to spice up a regular "dinner & a movie" date (our specialty, haha!)
Great idea!!
Corie, Great idea!!! You know what they say…..about dinner time….Kids get better grades when they eat together as a family!
J thanks for sharing your awesome idea! I am going to try that! I love to go back and read memories!
This is so much better than having to buy one of the sets they are selling. Thank you for the idea. Our supper activity is writing our favorite memories of the day on a large index card. I purchased a cute index card box that holds all our memories and I look forward to reading them year after year! Not sure where I heard the idea, but we have loved stopping and remembering our day before it is over.
This is perfect! Dinner time as a family really is SO important!
Great Idea…I am going to try this one for sure!
I love this! Our family goal is simple…we just try to each dinner together each night. As schedules get busy, this isn't always easy! 🙂