Tools
Free Downloads
Keep Connected focuses on strengthening families through stronger relationships. These free downloads for families are designed to encourage conversation and time together so that families can more intentional in their relationships as kids grow up.
Resources for Families
Bringing Developmental Relationships Home: Tips and Relationship Builders for Families
This 16-page booklet includes tips and relationship-building activities that parents can use with their children, particularly between ages 3 and 12. They focus on building each of the five elements of developmental relationships and are based on Search Institute’s study, Don’t Forget the Families (2015).
Table Time Meal Planning for Families
Family dinners are important. Kids in families who eat together regularly tend to get better grades and are less likely to use alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. This Family Dinner Toolkit can help you make the time parents and kids spend together count!
Here are some family conversation starters that help you talk with your children and teens and strengthen your relationship. Talk About It Cards help you share each person’s experiences, feelings, and beliefs so families can get to know each other better!
Resources for Leaders
Relationships that Matter: 5 Keys to Helping Your Child Succeed (in English and Spanish)
With this single session, 80-minute workshop, you can help parents understand and focus on five areas of parent-child relationships that are key to youth’s success in school and other areas of life.
Search Institute has created several workshops to help families become comfortable and confident in dealing with money as part of life. These workshop guides help parenting adults, children, and teens examine a variety of money topics to teach young people money management. These free workshops are for leaders who work with parents of teens, parents of grade-school children, directly with teenagers or directly with children in grades 3-12.
7 Shifts for Engaging Families
Search Institute has identified key shifts that can energize how schools and organizations partner with families. Use this self-reflection to examine your school or organization’s default mindsets and practices, identifying opportunities to explore and strengthen.
Research on Family Relationships and Strengths
Access Search Institute’s research on families to use in making the case for your programs and highlighting the power of strength-based approaches to family engagement.