Friendly icebreakers for getting to know the new family.
What makes a house a home for you?
Meeting your partner's parents is easier when you have something to ask them, and most parents are happy to talk about their child. The deck starts there: which story from your partner's toddler years they still tell, the most trouble your partner got into as a child, the ways your partner takes after them.
From there it moves on to the parents themselves: their traditions, their wedding, what makes a house a home. Ask a couple of questions over dinner instead of dealing out the whole deck, and let your partner join in.
You knew my partner as a toddler. Which story about that age do you still tell?
Be honest—what did you think when you first heard about me?
What keeps a marriage happy for forty years?
Which holiday tradition here would I get in trouble for skipping?
When the day really matters in this house, which dish comes out?
In what way is my partner exactly like you?
How is my partner completely different from the rest of the family?
Which of my partner's habits have you watched them keep since childhood?
Which house rule did the kids break most, and what happened next?
Does this family have any hidden talents?
Where did this family go on its best trip, and what made it the best?
How did you two meet? (Asking the parents)
What is the most trouble my partner ever got into as a child?
Was my partner a good student or a troublemaker?
Did you have any legendary family pets?
How do you usually celebrate Christmas/holidays?
You raised your kids around one value above the rest. Which one?
How has the family dynamic changed over the years?
What advice would you give us for our future together?
Is there a skill you wish my partner had learned from you?
What makes a house a home for you?
What was my partner like as a teenager?
Did my partner have any embarrassing nicknames?
How much of your own parents ended up in your parenting?
What are you looking forward to in the next few years?
How does this family usually handle disagreements?
When were you proudest of your kids, and did you say so at the time?
Who is the best cook in the family?
Who has the best sense of humor in the family?
What was your own wedding like?
What job did you have the longest, and what kept you there?
What do you do to relax?
Who in this family is impossible to buy a present for?
What is a movie this family has watched a million times?
What kind of music was played in the house growing up?
What is the most embarrassing thing my partner has done in public?
What family achievement are you most proud of?
What physical trait has my partner inherited from you?
What is a life lesson you learned the hard way?
What do you think about how technology has changed family life?
Nobody warns you about the hard parts of parenting. Which one hit you?
Tell us a story about your own parents.
If you could live anywhere else, where would it be?
What is one thing you still want to do in your life?
What is something about you that would surprise us?
Which of my partner's habits came straight from you?
Do you have a favorite photo of the family?
Which story from your own life should be a book?
How would you describe your parenting style?
When was this family tested hardest, and what held you together?
What did a typical weekend look like 20 years ago?
Does the family have any catchphrases or inside jokes?
What does respect mean to you?
How is trust earned in this family?
Who is the extrovert and who is the introvert in the family?
How do you support each other during tough times?
Which celebration in this house did not go to plan?
How did my partner end up with their name?
What do you appreciate most about your spouse?
How do you make a stranger feel like they belong in your house?
Going through every card takes about 25–40 min, but there's no need to finish in one sitting. The deck runs in your browser with nothing to install, and your place is saved on this device, so you can stop and pick it up later.