Family Hour
The same idea, in two registers. You work on the grown-up version here; your child works on theirs at Spark & Anvil; you share a table. Pick an idea, print its card, fold it down the middle and stand it between you.
For the grown-up · 🥁 Rhythm
Which song from your childhood can you still clap the beat of?
Your way in: The Family Songbook on sparkwhetstone.org
Together, at the end: Take turns clapping a rhythm; the other claps it back.
For the grown-up · 🎵 Singing
When did you last sing with someone, not to them?
Your way in: Singing with a Child on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🎵 Singing
Can you sing a note and hold it while I sing one too?
Your way in: Singing on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Sing one round together, each starting at a different line.
For the grown-up · 🖼️ Looking at art
Look at one picture for a whole minute. What did you see in the last ten seconds that you missed at first?
Your way in: Looking at Pictures Together on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🖼️ Looking at art
What do you see in this picture? What else?
Your way in: Looking at art on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Pick one picture and take turns saying one thing you notice, until you run out.
For the grown-up · 🔐 Secret codes
If you had to hide a message in a shopping list, how would you do it?
Your way in: Secret Writing on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🔐 Secret codes
Can you make up a secret code for your name?
Your way in: Secret codes on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Write each other one short message in a code you invent, and crack it.
For the grown-up · 💬 Feelings
What is a feeling you had today that you did not say out loud?
Your way in: Feelings at Our Table on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 💬 Feelings
How big was your biggest feeling today: small, medium or huge?
Your way in: Feelings on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Each say one feeling from today and how big it was. Just listen.
For the grown-up · 🎲 Chance
When did you last call something "lucky" that was really just likely?
Your way in: Thinking in Odds on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🎲 Chance
If you flip a coin and get heads three times, what comes next?
Your way in: Chance on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Flip a coin twenty times together and keep a tally. Was it what you each guessed?
For the grown-up · 🔍 Evidence
Pick one thing you believe. What would change your mind?
Your way in: How to Argue Well on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🔍 Evidence
How do you know it is going to rain? What clues can you see?
Your way in: Evidence on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Each say one thing you are sure of, and the clue that tells you.
For the grown-up · 🧭 Reasons and arguments
Say the other side of an argument you care about, fairly, in one sentence.
Your way in: How to Argue Well on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🧭 Reasons and arguments
Should we have pudding before dinner? What is one reason for, and one against?
Your way in: Reasons and arguments on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Pick a small family question and each give the best reason for the side you don’t like.
For the grown-up · 📣 Who wants you to want it?
Find one advert today. Who paid for it, and what does it leave out?
Your way in: Read the News Well on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 📣 Who wants you to want it?
What is this advert trying to make you want?
Your way in: Who wants you to want it? on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Look at one packet or poster together and spot the trick it uses.
For the grown-up · 📊 Data
Find one number in the news. Out of how many?
Your way in: Read the News Well on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 📊 Data
How could we count how many birds visit the garden?
Your way in: Data on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Count something together for ten minutes and draw it as a bar chart.
For the grown-up · 🌙 The sky
Look up tonight. Where is the Moon, and which way will it move?
Your way in: The Night Sky on sparkwhetstone.org
Together, at the end: Go outside together, find the Moon, and draw its shape tonight.
For the grown-up · ♟️ Rules and games
Which rule of a game you love would you never change, and why?
Your way in: Great Games of Chess History on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · ♟️ Rules and games
If you could change one rule of a game, which one?
Your way in: Rules and games on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Play a game with the rule the child changed. Did it get better?
For the grown-up · 🫣 Hiding and finding
When did you last decide something without seeing all the facts?
Your way in: Thinking Under Fog on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🫣 Hiding and finding
If you can only see part of a picture, how do you guess the rest?
Your way in: Hiding and finding on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Hide a small object; give clues one at a time until it is found.
For the grown-up · 🔄 Taking turns
Listen to one whole answer today without planning yours.
Your way in: How to Listen on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🔄 Taking turns
How do you know when it is your turn to talk?
Your way in: Taking turns on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Tell a story together, one sentence each, waiting for the other to finish.
For the grown-up · ⚙️ Cause and effect
What small habit of yours snowballs, for good or ill?
Your way in: Thinking in Loops on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · ⚙️ Cause and effect
If you leave the tap running, what happens next, and next?
Your way in: Cause and effect on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Build a domino line together and predict how far it will go.
For the grown-up · 🗂️ Folding paper
Fold a square in half and in half again. How many layers?
Your way in: The Folded Line on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🗂️ Folding paper
Can you fold paper so both halves match exactly?
Your way in: Folding paper on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Fold one simple model together, each with your own square.
For the grown-up · 🔷 Shape and space
Find three right angles in the room you are sitting in.
Your way in: The Folded Line on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🔷 Shape and space
What shapes can you find on this table?
Your way in: Shape and space on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Draw a map of the room together from above.
For the grown-up · 🏘️ Building places
What makes a street feel good to walk down?
Your way in: Blueprint & Blocks on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 🏘️ Building places
If you built a town, what would it need first?
Your way in: Building places on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Draw a tiny town together: houses, a school, a way to get between them.
For the grown-up · 💬 Words that mean
Find a word today that has two meanings.
Your way in: Wordplay on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 💬 Words that mean
What is a word that sounds funny? What does it mean?
Your way in: Words that mean on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Each pick a long word and see how many small words you can make from it.
For the grown-up · 📖 Stories
Which story from your own childhood would you tell first?
Your way in: Stories on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 📖 Stories
What would happen if the story went a different way?
Your way in: Stories on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Read a page aloud, then guess together what happens next.
For the grown-up · 📝 Remembering
Write one line about something you learned this week.
Your way in: Your learning on sparkwhetstone.org
For you · 📝 Remembering
What is one thing you learned today?
Your way in: Remembering on sparkanvil.org
Together, at the end: Each say back the other’s one thing, in your own words.
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