Here’s a fun activity I would play with my kids when we traveled. It ties in great with yesterday’s prompt of myth making and storytelling. When playing at home, everyone builds on the story by adding a sentence or idea. I would designate one person as scribe. The scribe writes down the story and reads it back at the end and also plays. For our online version, I’ll start the story and everyone gets to add a sentence. Rules: - One sentence at a time - You can add more than one sentence but they can’t be in a row. - Copy the existing story into a comment and add your sentence. Story ends at 11:59 pm CDT today. I’ll start. Tagging a few to get us started. Thanks @Allan R. for the first sentence. @Daniel Cavaretta @Adam Formanek @Betty Jo Winters @Mayelice Castro @Andrea Quintal Portas @Anna Brown @Janell Bitton @Blue Mojo @Celia Kibler @Charlie Svensson @Aurelie Delahalle @Gus Gray @Max Orlewicz @Lisa Vanderveen @Mukkove Johnson

For this activity, we aren't using instruments. We are finding the "rhythm of our own history" and comparing it to global traditions. Gather Your Gear Two "found" items in your house (a wooden spoon and a plastic tub, two smooth stones, or even a set of keys). Get Started 1. Search online for "Traditional percussion from [Region]" (Try West African Djembe, Japanese Taiko, or Irish Bodhrán). I added a clip of Ghanaian drummers as an example. 2. Listen for 2 minutes. Notice the "weight" of the sound. Is it heavy and slow, light and fast, or something else? 3. Try to mimic the rhythm you just heard using your household items. Don't worry about being a "musician." Just try to catch the "swing" of the beat. The Twist: The "Eyes-Closed Sync." Close your eyes and try to keep a steady beat in time with your child for 30 seconds. Without being able to see each other, you have to "feel" the rhythm. If you get off track, just laugh, reset, and find the beat again. Options for Older Kids: Ages 12–14 (The Sampling Scientist): Have them find a modern song they like and search to see if it "sampled" a traditional melody or rhythm from another culture. Discuss how history is "remixed" through music. Ages 15–17 (The Rhythm of Resistance): Search for "Songs that changed history." Look at music used in global social movements. Ask: "Why is music often the first tool people use when they want to lift the 'pressure' of an unfair system?" Your Turn Which percussion style did you explore? What "found instrument" in your house had the best sound? Bonus! I’ve added clips from one of my favorite old school drummers, Buddy Rich and one modern era Rick Allen. Do you have a favorite drummer?

What a week it’s been and thank you to everyone who has shared their favorite meals, shown us where they live, and welcomed new members with open arms. For those who joined game night, thank you. I had a blast. For those asking about future game nights, we are scheduling one in two weeks and looking for a day time option for our friends in Europe and Australia. Today is baking day, and I’ll be offline much of the day. I’m trying my hand at chocolate babka. The process started last night. Since I’m attempting to be a bread baker, I’d love for all of you to jump in with your own posts. Share a tip, ask a question, share a game. I’ll be checking in later. Wish me luck with the bread.

Did you know, we have members from all over the globe, from bustling cities to quiet rural outposts. Let’s see the "landscape" of our community. Where are you joining us from? Would you be open to sharing with us one thing you love about the "Environment" where your kids are growing up or where you currently live (e.g., "The big pine trees in Maine," "The red dirt in Australia," or "The neighborhood park in London.") If you have a picture, that’s even more fun. For “extra credit” why not go to the map tab and pin your location, who knows, you may find a new play buddy nearby.

How many times at work or in your day to day, have you felt like you had to have an answer? In our always “on” always connected culture, kids and adults often feel they have to have all the answers. Admitting "I don't know" feels like a weakness. But in science, "I don't know" is the most exciting sentence you can say, it’s the starting line for a new discovery. When we model "I don't know" as adults, we give kids a massive gift. We show them that curiosity is a lifelong journey, not a destination. Science gives us a framework to move from "uncertainty" to "investigation." Today, we’re practicing the art of the Open Question. Do you find it easy to say, I don’t know?