Whether you're attending a formal family reunion or just having a casual meal together, any gathering presents an opportunity to learn more about your family members. The best questions to ask your family will keep it fun, but they can also be deep or even random.
These are good family questions to ask your dad, your great-aunt, or even the spouse of your third cousin - once removed! Learn what their life looked like when they were younger, what kind of teenager they were, or their favorites from then and now. No matter what type of family you come from, fun questions will encourage family members of all ages to open up, reminisce about their past, and share their stories.
Fun Questions to Ask Your Family About the Past
The chance to sit down and chat with family members across different generations can reveal a lot about your family history, what life was like before your time, and even family values. From their everyday lives to events in history, asking fun family questions can reveal how different your family members' experiences and living situations were from yours.
- Tell me about what it was like growing up in [name of place].
- Did you live in a house or an apartment? Was there electricity and indoor plumbing?
- Where is the family originally from? How far up the family tree can you go?
- Who is the oldest family member you remember, and what do you remember about them?
- What were some significant historical events that you remember happening?
- What stories did your grandma/grandpa used to share about their younger years?
- What single invention had the biggest impact on your life?
- How did you react when you found out you were going to become a parent for the first time?
- Are there any treasured family heirlooms? What's the story behind them and who has them now?
Fun Questions to Ask About a Family Member's Childhood
Everyone has a great story to tell; you just have to ask the right family questions to get them talking. Giving your family members the space to share their past with you will bring you closer together and give you some insight into their experiences and the person they are now. Ask these questions at your next family reunion or get-together to get the conversation flowing.
- Why did your parents decide to name you [full name]?
- What was a typical family dinner like for you?
- How much was your allowance, and how did you choose to spend it?
- As a kid, what did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?
- How did you ever get your nickname? Did you have a nickname growing up that no one calls you anymore?
- Who was your first crush in real life?
- Where did you go to school and what was it like? What were your most and least favorite subjects?
- What is your earliest childhood memory? Why do you think it sticks out for you?
- How did you and your friends spend your time after school and on weekends?
- Where was your first job and what did you do? Was it fun? What did you learn?
- What was the most unique or interesting summer job you ever had?
- What's the worst trouble you've ever gotten yourself into? How did you get out of it?
- Have you ever gone back to visit your childhood home? What about where your mom or dad grew up?
- What is the scariest thing you've ever done?
- Were your parents more authoritarian or more lenient? Do you think this affected your parenting style?
Questions to Ask About Family Favorites
You can learn a lot about someone by asking them about their tastes in entertainment and other favorites. Sometimes the best questions to ask family are about their favorite things, whether past or present. You may get some interesting debates going among family members, or you may discover some things you have in common, even with older relatives.
- What kind of music did you enjoy when you were younger? Do you still like it now?
- Do you remember a favorite dish your mom/dad/grandparent used to prepare? Can you make it now?
- What's your favorite thing to do with your family?
- What's your favorite thing to do with your friends?
- What was your favorite TV show growing up? What is it now?
- What was your favorite toy as a child? How did you get it?
- Who was your biggest idol or role model as a teenager?
- Who was your biggest celebrity crush as a teen?
- What was your favorite holiday as a child? Is it still your favorite today?
- Where is your favorite all-time vacation spot? How many times have you been there?
- What's your favorite sport?
- What was your favorite childhood treat? Do you still like it now?
- Is there something from your childhood you wish was still popular today?
- What was your favorite musical album?
- What's your favorite season and why?
Deep Questions to Ask Family Members
Spark some thought-provoking conversation by asking about these harder topics. Whether they are questions for parents, grandparents, or other relatives, you can learn and offer your perspective too. Do you see similarities in how you view the world or are there major generational differences? Understand your family on a deeper level by getting insight into some of their motivations and life decisions with these deep questions to ask your family.
- What do you consider the true meaning of family?
- Do you think life is easier or harder for kids these days compared to your childhood? Why?
- What do you think is the most important life skill or value your parents taught you?
- What would you do first if you won the lottery?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
- What is the scariest thing you've ever done?
- What accomplishments in life are you most proud of?
- Did you ever dream of living somewhere else?
- What got you to decide on your current career? Did you always think you were going to do this for a living?
- Why did you decide to go or not to go to college/university?
- How did you decide on the names for your own children?
- What do you wish you knew when you were 20?
- What pieces of wisdom can you share with me?
Random Questions to Ask Your Family
How well do you know your nearest and dearest? Here are some light-hearted, random questions to ask anyone from cousins to distant relatives you'd like to get to know better, perhaps at your next family reunion or holiday gathering. These topics aren't too deep, but fun and unexpected topics are good for sparking conversation - and may even lead to some funny stories!
- Who is your best friend today?
- What's the last place you traveled to?
- What's the last book you read?
- Do you have any phobias?
- Have you ever had a run-in with the law?
- What's one food you really dislike?
- What did you do on your first real date?
- What is the craziest thing you've ever done?
- What was your first pet?
- If you could travel back in time to any decade or era, what would it be?
- What movie do you wish you could watch for the first time again?
- What's the best concert you ever went to?
- What do you like to do in your downtime?
- If you could have dinner with 5 famous or notable people, who would you choose?
- If you could switch lives with one person for a period of time, who would it be?
- What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Everyday Questions to Ask for Family Fun
Dinner-table talk can get boring, so why not liven things up with some everyday questions you can ask your family? Whether you're sharing a meal together, waiting in line at the grocery store, or on your way to soccer practice, these fun family questions can get kids and parents talking.
- If our family had a theme song, what would it be?
- What is the best vacation we ever took as a family?
- What is the one meal we can all agree on eating for dinner?
- What three words best describe our family?
- If you had to describe everyone in the family as a type of food, what would it be?
- If we could move anywhere in the world as a family, where would you choose?
- If you could be a famous character from a book or movie, who would it be?
- What is your favorite holiday memory?
- If there was one chore you never had to do again, what would it be?
- What is the one thing you think this family can't live without?
Get to Know Your Family in a Fun Way
Asking questions offers a glimpse into the past, teaches you about where your family came from, and reveals who they are. You'll never be short on things to talk about with these fun and deep topics. The next time you ask your aunt to pass the scalloped potatoes, you might also ask what your grandma was like as a mother herself. In fact, you can pair these questions with some How Well Do you Know Me questions and turn it into a family game where everyone gets a turn to share their story. The possibilities are as endless as the wisdom of the generations that came before you.
