Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Is there something you wish someone would just invent already, because you really need it?”
What to listen for
A funny, practical invention (a machine that cleans your room) shows healthy problem-solving imagination. A caring invention (something that helps sick people or animals) shows an empathetic streak.
Either way, ask them how it would work, the details are usually the best part.
If they're stuck, ask what daily annoyance they'd love to magically disappear.
What this tells you
What they wish existed reveals what frustrates or worries them enough to want a fix for it.