Holiday vacations mean time off from school. For teens, that means more time spent at home with family or in their youth programs. Rather than spending the down time watching more TV or another movie, why not try some new ways to initiate conversation? Group discussions are a great activity for teens. The conversation starters below can be used in a family setting at home, or in a school or youth program environment. They can be used one on one, where a parent or youth worker is trying to open up dialogue with a teen, or in a group format, where the goal is getting kids to talk openly with one another.
Setting Ground Rules
Students should be given ample time to think about their responses before answering. They should also be afforded the opportunity to pass if they are uncomfortable answering a specific questions. Make sure you provide a safe environment in which to share. Kids should be reminded to respect each others answers and opinions; otherwise, kids will find the activity uncomfortable and embarrassing.
These topics will help kids reflect on their values, accomplishments, opinions and personal attributes. There are no right or wrong answers; in fact, much of the fun will come from hearing a variety of responses and learning more about each individual in the process. Adults should participate too! Just be sure to keep your responses within the bounds of what would be appropriate to share with kids.
Discussion Starters
- If I had a million dollars, I would
- If I went to a desert island and could take one other person, I would take
- If I went to a desert island and could take one book, one music CD, and one DVD, I would take
- The accomplishment I am most proud of is
- One thing I wish I could go back and do differently is
- One piece of advice I would give to younger kids is
- I think my parents generation had it tougher as kids because
- I think my parents generation had it easier as kids because
- The most important thing that has happened in my lifetime is
- My three best qualities are
- The perfect day would be
- The person I most admire is
Other Ideas
- Tie discussion questions to news items, programs themes, or activities.
- Have each teen create their own discussion starter to contribute to the activity.
- Try one discussion starter each day as a companion to meals, car trips, or other opportune times.
- Write each discussion starter down on a separate slip of paper and put the slips in a box. Each participant reaches in and selects one to read and answer. Or a single person can select one for the entire group to respond to.
- Pair kids together and have them share their responses with each other rather than the larger group.
- Have kids respond to discussion questions in a journal that they can choose to share or keep private.
- Have kids create drawings, collages, or other artwork in response to their questions and answers.
You may also be interested in Positive Role Models for Teens, or Team Building Activities for Teens.
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