A Guide to Building a Meaningful

Connection with Family

Here at Arizona Youth Partnership, we understand the

importance of quality time with family. This packet
will include fun activities that can be done at home to
welcome more family time.

Table of Contents
Conversation Starters …. Pg 2
Family Games/ Activities …. Pg 3
Family Recipes …. Pg 4-6
 Conversation Starters
Holiday breaks, meals, hikes, and walks are perfect times to have
meaningful conversations, especially with family.
Now you may ask yourself, what is a meaningful
conversation? A meaningful conversation means
leaving a conversation knowing more about a person
than you did before.
To make this more fun write these questions down and
place them in a hat.
Remember this list of rules:
1. Be honest 2. Listen & Enjoy
1. Describe yourself in three words. Explain.
2. Name three things you would like to do as a family.
3. What is your favorite thing about our family?
4. If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go and why?
5. If everyone in our family could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
6. What scares you the most?
7. If you could describe each family member with a color, what color would
everyone be and why?
8. What could I change to be a better parent?
9. What character traits of each family member do you admire?
10. What is your favorite movie or tv show?
11. If you could be any food for a day, what food would you be and why?
12. What is something you wish we did as a family?
13. What makes you feel the most loved and appreciated?
14. What is something that brings you happiness?
15. What is your funniest memory of our family?
16. If you could be any animal, what animal would you be and why?
17. What is something you really want?
18. If you won $1,000,000, what would you do with the money?
19. What is your earliest memory?
20. If you could live in any movie or tv show, what and why?
21. What is something you really want to try?
22. What are three things you cannot live without and why?
23. What is your favorite season?
 Fun Family Games/ Activities
Quality time with family can be lots of fun. However, deciding what to do
with that time can be stressful. This page will list some fun games and
activities that do not require many materials. Pick one game per family
night and enjoy your time together!

1. Paper Telephone
This game guarantees many laughs. Paper telephone is like a regular telephone,
but with a little twist. One family member will write a straightforward sentence
(ex: My cat is eating an ice cream cone). Then, the person you pass it to will
have to draw a picture of the phrase. After that, the next person will have to
write down the phrase they think the drawing is depicting. It is a perfect game
for a family of four.
2. Picture Sequence
This game requires any sequence picture book you have around in the home (ex:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See, The
Gingerbread Man, and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie). After finding a picture book,
rip all the pages out of it. Then, split the pages evenly between all family
members and work together to put them back in the right order. It works best if
the whole family is unfamiliar with the book!
3. Spaghetti and Marshmallow Tower
This game requires uncooked spaghetti noodles and mini marshmallows.
Divide up your family into groups (depending on family size). Use the noodles and
marshmallows to build a tower within 10 minutes. The tallest tower wins!
4. Minefield
This game requires household items and a blindfold. Before starting this game,
set up an obstacle course using those household items (ex: pillows, chairs, etc.)
Then, blindfold a family member while the rest guide them. Change the obstacle
course at any time you guys want. You can also divide the family into groups.
5. Memory Wall
This activity requires family pictures, markers, glue, and a poster board.
On the poster board, write phrases that can be seen through the pictures. After
that, glue pictures that fit with those phrases. Hang it up after you finish!
 Family Recipes
Brookies
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Yield: 20 bars
Ingredients:
Cookie Layer
● ½ cup butter, softened
● ½ cup light brown sugar
● ¼ cup white sugar
● ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
● 1 large egg
● 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
● ½ teaspoon salt
● ½ teaspoon baking soda
● 1 cup chocolate chips
Brownie Layer
● 1 cup white sugar
● ½ cup butter, melted
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● 2 eggs
● ⅓ cup cocoa powder
● ½ cup all-purpose flour
● ¼ teaspoon baking powder
● ⅛ teaspoon salt
Directions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350
degrees F and grease a 9x13-inch
baking dish.
Step 2: Cookie layer: Mix butter,
brown sugar, white sugar, and
vanilla in a large bowl until
creamy. Add egg; beat for 2
minutes. Until it is light and
creamy.
Step 3: Whisk the flour, salt, and
baking soda in a bowl. Continue
to stir flour mixture into butter
mixture until the dough is
combined. Add and stir chocolate
chips into the dough. Spread
dough evenly into the prepared
baking dish
Tip: Buy store-bought chocolate
cookie dough to use
Step 4: Brownie layer: Stir sugar,
melted butter, and vanilla in a
bowl. Add eggs and beat well. Mix
in cocoa powder until well-
combined. Stir in flour, baking
powder, and salt until batter is
combined. Pour over the cookie
layer and spread to cover
completely.
Step 5: Bake in the preheated
oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Insert a
toothpick into the center to see if
it comes out clean. Let it cool
down before enjoying it!
 Family Recipes
Healthy Homemade
Pizza

Prep: 2 hours
Cook: 15 mins
Yield: 8 slices

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough
● 3 cups whole wheat flour regular or white whole wheat, or a mix
● 2 ½ teaspoons active or instant yeast
● 1 ¼ cups warm water
● 1 teaspoon salt
● 2 tablespoons olive oil
● 2 teaspoons honey
● optional: 1 tablespoon of wheat gluten
Pizza Sauce
● 14-ounce can of tomato sauce
● ½ teaspoon dried oregano
● 1 clove of garlic, grated or a pinch of garlic powder

Topping
● shredded Mozzarella
● grated Parmesan
● bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, or spinach
● pepperoni, ham, chicken, or ground beef
 Directions
Step 1: Add warm water into a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast. Let it sit
for 5 minutes until the yeast is fully dissolved (This step is not required if your
using instant yeast)
Step 2: Combine and stir flour, salt, and gluten in a large bowl. Add
water/yeast mixture, olive oil and honey into the large bowl and stir until you
can form it into a ball
Step 3: Use your hands to work the dough
(If the dough is too wet add extra tablespoons to it)
Step 4: Form the dough into a loose ball in the bowl and drizzle a little olive
oil on top. Then, cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and let it rise for 1-2
hour
Step 5: Punch down the dough and cut it in half. Roll each piece of dough
into a new ball, place them in separate bowls, and let them rise for another
30 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and prepare your toppings and pizza
sauce (mix the ingredients together)
Step 7: Place a few tablespoons of whole wheat flour on a clean countertop
and place one of the dough balls onto it. Use a rolling pin to gently flatten
the dough and make it into a circle. Use your fingers to shape the edges into
a slight crust
Step 8: Place the dough on the baking sheet once is has been shaped
Step 9: Rub 2 teaspoons of olive oil on the crust and add
your sauce and toppings
Step 10: Bake for 10 – 20 minutes
(Save the other ball of dough or repeat
steps 7 - 10)