Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“If you could talk to any animal for one whole day, which one would you pick and what would you ask it?”
What to listen for
Curious questions about the animal's life show a caring, exploring mind. Questions about whether the animal is happy or safe can reveal a tender, empathetic streak.
A silly or funny question is just pure delight, enjoy it together without over-analyzing.
If they're stuck, ask what they'd want to know about how the animal sees the world.
What this tells you
The questions they'd ask reveal how curious and empathetic they are about lives very different from their own.