Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“If we built a whole pillow fort city tonight, what buildings or rooms would it absolutely need?”

What to listen for

If they include shared spaces, like a big meeting room or a shared snack area, they're showing that togetherness is central to their idea of a good place, even an imaginary one.

If they include a private room just for themselves, that's healthy too, a sign they also want a little space that's clearly theirs, even within something shared.

If they say "I don't know," ask what room they'd want to build first, and let the rest follow.

What this tells you

The rooms they imagine show the balance they're craving between togetherness and their own space.