Table Topics   Updated daily!
March 24, 2008
Mind-stretching brain games and conversation starters.
It's the perfect opportunity for sharing stories, building knowledge, strengthening character, and having fun!

One of the ways intellectual growth can be measured is by the ability to synthesize provided facts into new, original ideas. Teachers encourage their students to practice synthesizing ideas during class discussions.

For many reasons, however, not all students participate equally in class discussions. The small, comfortable setting of the family dinner table can provide an excellent opportunity for children to develop the skill of synthesizing familiar information into new, exciting ideas of their OWN creation!

For this activity, start with a familiar story. I will use Cinderella as an example to get you started, but feel free to choose any story you wish. (Advanced students may wish to use Romeo and Juliet to explore more sophisticated ideas).

To play the game, one person starts by saying

"What if the ball was held in April and there were no pumpkins growing in the garden? What else could the fairy godmother have used to create the coach?"

"What if the Prince had not noticed the glass slipper come off Cinderella's foot and had stepped on it and it broke?"

You should have no trouble coming up with more ideas.

      Read another issue of Table Topics
      How do you build character?

Take turns making up analogy riddles.

An analogy is comparing one thing to another and then making a second comparison that uses the same rule.

For example: Four is to a square as three is to a blank.

The comparison is between numbers and geometric shapes. Therefore, the answer would be triangle.

Have fun making up your own.

Quia - Analogies