Mental Health Conversation Starters for Kids - Make a Conversation Starter Jar! - FREE

Help children talk, connect, and explore their emotions.

Starting a conversations about emotions and mental health with your children can sometimes feel challenging. You're not alone - 35% of parents recently surveyed by Young Minds said that they avoided conversations about mental health through fear of making it worse or saying the wrong thing.

Here's the truth: You can't make mental health worse by talking about it.

But we understand that starting those conversations can feel tricky - especially if it's not something you have spoken about before. We're here to help!

Whether you're a parent, educator, or mental health professional - these printable strips will help you open up conversations with children in your care.

About This Resource

Our Conversation Starters for Kids printable is an engaging A4 resource that encourages children to express themselves and develop emotional intelligence through curiosity and play. It’s packed with simple, open-ended prompts designed to make talking about thoughts and feelings easier, and fun too.

The questions invite children to think about emotions, friendships, confidence, and kindness, but also imagination, humour, and creativity. They’re intentionally written to appeal to a wide age range, from early years right through to pre-teens, and they’re flexible enough to use in any setting - at home, in the classroom, or as part of therapeutic support.

This printable turns the often daunting topic of “talking about feelings” into something engaging and approachable.

Features

• 35 fun, child-friendly conversation prompts designed to spark curiosity, honesty and reflection.

• Printable A4 format - ready to cut into strips for an easy, hands-on activity.

• Age-flexible prompts suitable for children roughly aged 5–14, with adaptable wording for younger or older kids.

• Emotionally balanced themes, including:

  • Feelings and self-awareness

  • Friendship and empathy

  • Confidence and courage

  • Calm and coping

  • Gratitude and kindness

  • Fun and imagination

• Inclusive, non-judgemental language that supports all children, regardless of background or emotional experience.

• No right or wrong answers - every response is valid and valued.

• Blank template - for you to come up with your own, together!

This isn’t just a worksheet — it’s a conversation toolkit that grows with your child.

How to Make Your Conversation Starter Jar

1. Print your sheet.
   Use standard A4 paper or light card for a more durable version.

2. Cut along the dotted lines.
   Each strip holds a unique conversation starter.

3. Fold or roll each strip.
   Folding adds a little mystery and makes each question a surprise.

4. Find a jar, box, or basket.
   Decorate it however you like - stickers, ribbons, drawings, or colourful labels all add a touch of fun.

5. Pop the strips inside.
   Give them a mix so you can pull one out at random whenever you’re ready for a chat.

6. Add new prompts over time.
   Encourage children to create their own conversation starters too by using our template, they’ll love adding their own ideas!

Benefits

The Conversation Starters for Kids resource offers more than just fun, it supports important aspects of social and emotional development.

Builds Emotional Vocabulary - Children learn to recognise, name, and describe their feelings with more depth. Instead of “happy” or “sad,” they begin to explore feelings like “proud,” “frustrated,” or “worried.”

Encourages Emotional Regulation - By identifying what feelings look and feel like, children develop tools to manage them, noticing early signs of stress and learning healthy ways to respond.

Strengthens Relationships - Conversations strengthen trust and connection between children and the adults who care for them. They communicate: I’m here. I’m listening. Your feelings matter.

Promotes Resilience - Talking about challenges helps children realise that difficult emotions are normal and temporary, a key part of building resilience and problem-solving skills.

Boosts Confidence and Self-Worth - Being heard and validated helps children develop self-belief and a sense of safety in expressing themselves honestly.

Sparks Creativity - The playful nature of the prompts, from describing emotions as colours to imagining their moods as types of weather, helps children think symbolically and creatively, expanding their imagination and emotional understanding.

Supports Mental Health Literacy - By normalising emotional language early, you’re laying the groundwork for lifelong openness around mental health and wellbeing.

How to Use

There’s no right or wrong way to use your Conversation Starter Jar, the goal is simply to talk, listen, and connect.

Try one of these easy approaches:

• Pick a time that feels relaxed.
  Around the dinner table, at bedtime, or in a classroom circle - anywhere children feel safe and calm.

• Take turns choosing a strip.
  Let the child pick one, then you pick one. Model vulnerability and curiosity by sharing your own answers too!

• Follow their lead.
  If a question sparks a big story, stay there. If they’re not in the mood, move on, the jar is for connection, not pressure.

• Use tone and humour.
  Some questions are silly on purpose! Laughter lowers defences and opens the door to honesty.

• Encourage drawing or acting.
  For children who express themselves visually or physically, turn prompts into art, drama, or movement.

• Revisit favourite prompts.
  Keep a small pile of “favourites” that the child enjoys returning to, it helps them reflect on growth over time.

• Come up with your own prompts.
  Encourage your child to come up with their own prompts or work together to make new, creative ones they'll love answering!

Suggested Uses

At Home: Create a nightly or weekly ritual - pull a strip during dinner or bedtime. It’s a simple, screen-free way to connect and check in emotionally.

In the Classroom: Use it during morning meetings, circle time, or transition moments. It helps build classroom community, empathy, and self-awareness.

In Wellbeing or Counselling Sessions: Perfect for counsellors, pastoral leads, or SEN practitioners. The light, non-clinical format helps children open up naturally.

For Group Work or Peer Mentoring: Children can use the jar in pairs or small groups, building peer-to-peer empathy and active listening skills.

In Childcare or Play Settings: Early years educators can use the simpler prompts to teach emotional recognition through play and storytelling.

For Family Support Workers and Therapists: A great icebreaker tool to help build rapport and understand children’s emotional worlds.

As a Gift or Resource Add-On: Include it in wellbeing packs, teacher appreciation bundles, or community outreach kits - it’s a practical and meaningful takeaway.

Talking about mental health shouldn’t be scary or complicated - it should be part of everyday life. Our Conversation Starters for Kids printable helps make that possible.

By blending playfulness with purpose, this resource gives parents, carers, and teachers a simple, joyful way to open up the kinds of conversations that build trust, understanding, and emotional strength.

Download for free today!