A Penny For Your Thoughts

This game can be played with pennies or any coin. You will need at least one per person. Have the coins in a bag or a bowl that is easy to pass around. Each person, takes a coin, reads the year (provide a magnifying glass for those who may need assistance), and then tells something that happened to them in that year. Make sure the dates are within the ages of your participants. If you have a diverse group, you may make the rule that if a younger participant gets a year that is before their birth, then they should share their earliest memory. If you have a group that is much younger, you can still let them choose a penny and share a memory about something specific such as a trip, an animal, or a favorite food. You can choose whether to ask for the coins back or let them keep them.

To process this activity, ask these questions:

• Was it hard to find something from a specific year?
• Did you learn anything new about someone?
• Could you relate to the events that others shared?
• Can you see how the diversity of our experiences brings a richness to our group?