Starting Conversations
Ask someone what their favorite movie is.
Example: "My favorite movie is The Lion King. What's yours?"
Compliment someone genuinely on something you noticed today.
Example: "I love your shoes; they look really comfortable!"
Share a funny story from your week.
Share a funny story from your week.
Find something in common with the person next to you.
Example: "We both love pizza!"
Share one thing you like about yourself.
"I like my creativity."
Ask someone what their favorite thing to do on weekends is.
"I like to play video games on weekends. How about you?"
Ask someone what their dream job is and why.
"My dream job is to be a writer because I love creating stories. What's yours?"
Share a time when you learned a valuable lesson.
Example: "I learned to be more patient after helping my little sister with her homework."
Ask someone about a place they’ve always wanted to visit and share your dream destination.
Example: "I've always wanted to visit Japan. What about you?"
Name a recent achievement or success, no matter how small, that you are proud of.
Example Answer: "I finished a challenging project at school, and I'm proud of how I managed my time."
Find out what book or TV show someone is currently enjoying.
"I'm currently reading Harry Potter. Are you reading or watching anything interesting?"
Find out what someone’s favorite memory from childhood is.
Example: "One of my favorite childhood memories is going to the beach with my family every summer."
Describe an embarrassing moment and what you learned from it.
Example: "Once, I tripped in front of the entire class, but it taught me to laugh at myself!"
Discuss your favorite holiday traditions with someone and find one you both enjoy.
Example: "I love decorating cookies for the holidays. How about you?"
Give a compliment to three different people in the room.
Goal: Provide meaningful, specific compliments (e.g., "I really appreciate how you always help others," "Your smile is contagious").
Ask someone if they could have dinner with any person, alive or dead, who it would be and why.
Example: "If I could have dinner with anyone, I'd choose Albert Einstein to discuss science. Who would you pick?"
Ask someone to describe a talent or skill they are proud of.
"I'm proud of my drawing skills; I've been practicing for years. What about you?"
Share a story about a time when you had to overcome a challenge.
Example: "I had to move to a new school, which was hard, but I eventually made great friends."
Discover a hobby or interest you share with someone in the room.
Example: "You enjoy playing soccer, and so do I!"
Share a personal goal you have and explain why it is important to you.
Example Answer: "My goal is to learn a new language because it will help me in my future career."
Start a conversation with a peer or group and keep it going for at least two minutes.
Goal: Sustain a conversation by asking follow-up questions and showing interest. Example start: "Hey, I noticed you like basketball. How did you get into it?"
Learn three new things about a peer that you didn’t know before.
Goal: Discover three new things about a peer by asking thoughtful questions (e.g., hobbies, favorite foods, memorable vacations).
Tell a story about an experience that shaped who you are today.
Example: "I traveled alone for the first time, which made me more independent and confident."
Partner up and work together to find five things you both have in common.
Goal: Find five shared interests or experiences (e.g., favorite music, sports, school subjects).
Describe a time when you felt nervous or unsure of yourself and how you overcame that feeling.
Example Answer: "I felt nervous about speaking in front of the class, but I took deep breaths and focused on my message."