Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“If you had every single block in the world and could build anything, what would you build first?”

What to listen for

Listen for whether they build something for themselves (a fort, a rocket) or something for others (a house for the whole family, a park for friends). Both show something sweet about how they see their world.

Wild, impossible ideas are a great sign of imagination stretching itself, go with it, ask follow-up questions like a curious reporter.

If they say 'I don't know,' try narrowing it: 'okay, just one room then?' Sometimes the question is just too big and needs a smaller door in.

What this tells you

Their answer shows you what kind of world they're dreaming about and who they picture living in it with them.