Here’s a clever way to inspire your child’s creativity and imagination: make a copy of this month’s BrainPlay (you can find it on page 6 of the January issue, or print out the page here), fold it, stuff it into an envelope, and stash it in your child’s lunchbox for a lunchtime surprise!

The amazing thing about BrainPlay is the way it moves your kid’s thinking to another level in a super fun way. This month’s open-ended questions introduce an idiom to ponder (What does it mean to say that something is the “icing on the cake”?); prompt a giggle (What would you be surprised to see in a suitcase?); and promote self-reflection (Do you act the same way around everyone?). Of course, you can always skip the lunchbox idea and use the Q’s as conversation starters at home, over dinner, in the car, or whenever you have a few minutes together.