To help my kids tell me about their day at school, I made up “Funny, Mad/Sad, New & Review’. They have to tell me something from each category.

So, for instance, here are the things I learned about today:

Funny: In Cole’s math class, a kid walked in absently and sat down, then looked around and said, “Wait. This isn’t my class!”

In swim practice, Lindsay went crooked after her flip turn and came up under another girl who was swimming in her lane. Then she was laughing and breathed in water which made her sputter and choke. Very funny indeed.

Mad/Sad: Cade got mad at recess because of the unfair teams for kickball. There were a bunch of really good fourth graders versing Gunnar, Kassity, Michael, TJ, and Cade. I got to hear all about the unraveling of the third grade force, along with the skill of various players.

New: Lindsay learned that ‘zoo’ means ‘animal’. She also learned that the Trojan Horse was real, not just mythological.

Review: Cole said that his youth pastor reviewed the Big Bang Theory in youth group tonight. We got to talk about what an incredible assertion that is, given the order and complexity of the universe.

Cade said his teacher reviewed with them the policy on flushing the toilet after you go.

So… I can honestly say that I might have missed each and every bit of this information, had we not played, “Funny, Mad/Sad, New and Review”. I used car time to play with the kids as I shuttled them to and fro, but I imagine it would work well at the dinner table or bedtime, too. I don’t think I’ll play it every day with the kids, but it’s a great way to capitalize on those fleeting converse-able moments, and build bridges between home and school/activities.

If you play the game with your child, I’d love to hear what you find out!