Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old

The prompt

“Is there a place you've never been that you really, really want to visit someday?”

What to listen for

A specific place with a reason attached shows real curiosity about the wider world, pay attention to whether it's about adventure, nature, culture, or being near someone, since that reveals what draws them.

If they describe it in vivid detail, as if they've already pictured being there, that's a dream worth taking seriously, even mentioning it again later tells them their wishes get remembered, not brushed off.

If they can't think of anywhere, ask what they'd want to see if money and time weren't an issue at all, sometimes the constraint of 'realistic' is what's blocking the answer.

What this tells you

This shows you the shape of your child's curiosity about the world beyond their everyday life.