Whānau kōrero starters: for everyday connections

Sometimes the hardest part of connecting with our tweens and teens is knowing where to begin.

Whānau kōrero starters are simple, thoughtful conversation cards designed to help get the kōrero going - around the table, in the car, after school, before bed, or any time you want to make connection feel a little easier.

The questions invite teens to talk about their day, friendships, feelings, confidence, support, tricky moments, and what helps them feel understood. They are gentle enough for everyday use, but meaningful enough to open up the kinds of kōrero that can sometimes be hard to start directly.

The resource also includes a reminder about the power of eating together - even a simple meal can create a moment to check in, laugh, kōrero and shift the focus from kai to connection.

Print them, cut them out, and keep them somewhere handy for the times you want to connect but don’t quite know what to ask.

What’s included

A printable PDF with:

• whānau kōrero starter cards
• questions especially useful with tweens and teens
• prompts for everyday connection
• questions about feelings, friendship, confidence, support and self-understanding
• an introductory page about using mealtimes as a moment for connection

These cards can help when you want to

• make dinner time feel more connected
• start a kōrero without making it feel too intense
• support teens to open up in their own way
• move beyond “How was your day?” / “Fine”
• create small moments of closeness
• help teens reflect on what they feel, need and value
• bring a little more ease into your family conversations

Good to know

This is a digital download. You can print the cards at home, cut them out, and keep them on the table, in a jar, in the car, or wherever your whānau is most likely to use them.