Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“If you had your own superhero costume, what would it look like and what would it say about you?”

What to listen for

If they describe bold colors or powers tied to things they're already good at, like speed or kindness, that's them building their sense of self through imagination, which is healthy and fun.

If they focus on the costume being cool or fancy, that might be about wanting to feel noticed and admired, which is worth giving them plenty of in everyday life too.

If they say they don't know, ask what power they'd want most, since sometimes the power is easier to name than the whole costume.

What this tells you

The costume they imagine is really a picture of how they want to be seen and known by others.