Thursday, December 10, 2015

What If?

What If?

Welcome back, parents and kids!  We hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and had a chance to reflect on what makes you feel grateful.  This month is moving quickly and just like that, another holiday is upon us.  Happy Hanukkah!


When we think of Hanukkah, a couple of central images come to mind: menorahs and dreidels

For the menorah, maybe a little background is necessary, in case you're not that familiar with Hanukkah.  We light the menorah to commemorate the miracle that is said to have taken place in 165 B.C. during the re-dedication of the second temple of Jerusalem.  As part of the ritual, they needed to burn a sacred oil each night, but they only had enough for one night, and they did not have the time to make more.  However, the oil miraculously lasted for eight nights.  But what if the oil did not last?  The Jewish people would still have many holidays, to be sure.  But there would probably not be a Hanukkah!

Jewish children also play the dreidel game during Hanukkah.  It's a game of chance.  When they spin the dreidel, no one knows what side will land face up.  What if you keep landing on Shin?  What if you always get Gimel?

Both of these things make us think about what if and that gave us the idea for tonight's activity.

Let Your Mind Wander


For tonight's quiet, thoughtful activity, take turns asking and trying to answer "What If" questions.  They can be as off-the-wall as you wish or more focused on a particular topic.  Here are some great though-provoking questions to get you started:

  • What if we lived in a very hot place? (Or very cold place?)
  • What if the sun only came out for an hour a day?  (Or all day?)
  • What if you had 10 siblings?  (Or no siblings?)
  • What if we had no car?
  • What if we lived in a big city?  (Or in the country?)
  • What if people were smaller than insects?
  • What if the earth ran out of oil?
  • What if dogs/cats could talk?
  • What if there was no gravity?
  • What if you could visit outer space?
  • What if there were no schools?

Feel free to try those or make up some of your own.  We hope this sparks some fascinating conversations and gets your imagination in gear for some interesting dreams!

Drop a Line


We'd love to hear your What If questions. Please leave a comment here or on Twitter or Facebook with your best ones.

We also wanted to take a moment to share this great calming bedtime activity from Jeff Bogle.  It's a great idea and a perfect companion to other Moonlit Minds activities.

OK! Go enjoy thinking about what ifs, and...Mind the nap!


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