Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Is there something you collect, or something you wish you could start collecting?”
What to listen for
If they already collect something and talk about it with detail, that passion project shows a real, growing sense of personal taste and identity.
If they wish they could start one, that's a peek into what currently fascinates them, worth taking seriously even if it seems small, like rocks or stickers.
If they say collecting isn't their thing, ask what they'd rather line up on a shelf just because they like looking at it.
What this tells you
What they'd want to collect shows what kind of things currently make them feel like their own person.