5 different table "games" to encourage nourishing conversation around the dinner table

A major family focus for us is to gather daily at the dinner table without screens. We don't only want to prioritize nourishing foods, but also nourishing conversations too.

It's a time where our family can slow down + focus our attention on each other. We've made a lot of memories around our old dinner table ... and here are some fun games we play!

1. High, Low, Buffalo

We do this every single day! This is how we kick off our dinner after our prayer. I'll usually start and than choose one other person, and then they choose and so on.

High: One good thing that happened throughout the day.

Low: One thing that happened that you didn't like/love

Buffalo: Something surprising or shocking that happened

2. Two Truths + a Lie

To play, one person tells two truthful facts about themselves and one lie. Everyone else then guesses, which is a made-up statement.

For example, a person might say something like…

• “I went skydiving before.”

• “My favorite food is tuna.”

• “I have two dogs and a cat.”

Then, the others would have to guess which one is the lie.

3. Would you Rather?

A classic word game that you can make as goofy as you want. Present two scenarios and see which one people would choose if given a choice.

Here is an idea to get you started:

• Would you rather travel 100 years in the future or 100 in the past?

As you can imagine, the kids get pretty silly with this one!

4. The Alphabet Game

To play the alphabet game, agree on a topic or a theme. Then, starting from “A,” everyone takes turns calling out a word going in alphabetical order.

For example, if the topic is “fruits,” the first player could say “an apple,” then the next player could throw out “banana,” and so on.

5. I Spy

In this classic game, players take turns being the “spy-er.” They notice something around them and then say, “I spy with my little eye something that starts on the letter [first letter of the word].” Everyone then takes turns guessing what the person is thinking.

If no one gets it, give another hint like the object’s color.

That's it! Family time around the dinner table is so very important. This is just a simple way to make it fun + engaging!