What If? World Builders

What you need

• Notebook, 1 notepad
• Crayons or markers, 1 crayon or pencil
• Paper, a few small cards (optional)

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Nothing to gather. Pick a few what-if questions from the ideas list, or make up your own, and get comfy together.

1. Sit in a cozy circle where everyone can see each other.
2. Read a what-if question out loud to the group.
3. Take turns naming the very first thing that would change.
   Ask: What do you think would be the first thing anyone noticed?
4. Chat about who would be happiest in this new world.
5. Invent new jobs that would exist in this world.
6. Think about what could go wrong, then invent a fix.
7. Pass the cards and build a brand new world.
8. Now tell someone else your best world, or make up your own what-if! What will you ask next?
   Ask: Which world was your favorite, and what what-if question would you invent next?

Ideas to try

• What if gravity were half as strong?
• What if animals could talk?
• What if houses could fly?
• What if it rained juice instead of water?
• What if everyone could fly?
• What if no one needed to sleep?
• What if you could shrink to the size of an ant?
• What if the sun never set?
• What if dogs ran the city?
• What if all roads were rivers?
• What if we could breathe underwater?
• What if every house were a treehouse?
• What if there was no school?
• What if everyone could read minds?
• What if toys came alive at night?
• What if colors had sounds?
• What if the moon were a giant cheese?
• What if people grew a new hat every day?
• What if kids were in charge of the world?

Play it again

• Speed round: give each person only 10 seconds to name a change.
• Worst and best: everyone shares one awesome thing and one terrible thing about the new world.
• Mix and match: pick two questions and combine them into one wild world.