I want to host another game night this month. Quick poll what type of game night would you like for June?

Have you ever stopped to think about how old some of our favorite games might be? Take 20 Questions, for example. Most of us have played it at some point. One person thinks of something. Everyone else asks yes-or-no questions. Twenty questions later, someone either makes a brilliant guess or realizes they should have asked better questions. It feels simple, but there is more going on than we might realize. No one knows for sure when the version we know today became popular, best guess was in the early 1900s, and later exploded in popularity through a radio program called Twenty Questions. Contestants tried to identify a person, place, or thing using only twenty yes-or-no questions. Listeners played along from home, and the game became a national sensation. What I find interesting is why the game has lasted. At first glance, it seems like a guessing game. In reality, it is a question-asking game. Success depends less on knowing the answer and more on knowing how to gather information. A question like “Is it bigger than a breadbox?” tells you far more than randomly guessing “Is it a giraffe?” That skill shows up everywhere in life. Scientists ask questions. Detectives ask questions. Journalists ask questions. Teachers ask questions. Curious children ask questions. The quality of the answer is often connected to the quality of the question that came before it. One of my favorite twists on 20 Questions is to pay attention to the questions themselves. Which questions helped the most? Which ones accidentally sent everyone down the wrong path? Which questions opened up new possibilities? Sometimes the game isn’t really about finding the answer. Sometimes it’s about learning how to think. Today, if you play a round or two, listen carefully to the questions being asked. You might discover that the most interesting part of the game isn’t the mystery object at all. It’s the way people work together to narrow the possibilities and make sense of what they know. And if you’re curious, look up the history of the Twenty Questions radio show. It’s a fun reminder that long before smartphones and search engines, people entertained themselves by asking good questions.

Earlier, I asked if you had ever played 20 Questions. Today’s activity builds on that idea. What I love about this game is you can play it anywhere. For the full version, be sure to visit The Play Lab #Day 3: The Mystery Object Challenge. The Play Lab unlocks at Level 2. Here’s the short version for you: The Mystery Object Challenge Good problem solvers do not just guess. They ask better questions. In this mission, one person secretly chooses a mystery object while everyone else tries to identify it by asking questions, gathering clues, and narrowing down the possibilities. Gather Your Gear 5–10 small household objects A bag, box, towel, or pillowcase Paper Pencil Optional: timer Object ideas: spoon key coin toy car sock button hairbrush marker block small cup puzzle piece clothespin Steps 1. Choose one person to be the “case keeper.” 2.The case keeper secretly selects one mystery object and hides it in a bag, box, towel, or pillowcase. 3. Everyone else asks yes-or-no questions to figure out what the object is. Examples: Is it hard? Is it something we use in the kitchen? Is it smaller than my hand? Is it made of metal? Can you wear it? Does it make noise? After each answer, pause and think about what the clue tells you. Keep asking questions until someone is ready to make a guess. Reveal the object and talk about which questions helped the most.

Thanks to community member @Celia Kibler for this inspiration. With nearly 100 members, it can be hard to stay connected so let’s play 2 Fibs and a Fact. Share two little fibs about you and one fact. For fun, let’s tie these to growing up. For a little extra fun, use gifs only. I’ll start. Try and guess at least two other members fact. Tomorrow, come back and reveal which is true and which were not. This gives members in different time zones a chance to play.

We’ve had so many new folks join in the last month, I think it’s time for a fun game of introductions. Now, when I’m conducting in person training, I usually do this by passing around of toilet paper and asking everyone to tear off as many sheets as they’d like. No further instructions are given. After everyone has taken their share, I then let them know it’s time to share one fact for each square (or sheet) they took. That usually gets folks talking. Since we don’t have any toilet paper, let’s roll the virtual dice instead. For each dot that you get, share something about yourself. I’ll start. PS: This is on the honor system. https://www.calculator.net/dice-roller.html