"The Randomizer"--used to thinks

Every Wonder Cabinet should have one. It's a irresistible way to enjoy a bit of random probability. Every kid wants to give it a whirl.

Okay, it's just a hand cranked card shuffler with a foam core sign on it.

Here's the great part: You can buy blank Bicycle playing cards from a magician's trick shop, and write whatever you want on them. (you can also try half size index cards but they don't slide very well)

We've used ours for lots of stuff. One ongoing project is a collection of "used-to-thinks." Like:

"I used to think that all dogs were boys, and all cats were girls"

or

"I used to think that the odd numbers were just the weird looking ones"

You may find that kids have some interesting notions about God and Afterlife and Wisdom, though many of our used to thinks are of the factual "needing a little more info" sort.

Almost everyone in the Big Room seems to have experienced that ah-ha moment of changing a belief in an instant based on new info that turns an old assumption upside down.

Some of our used to thinks are ones we gradually form new opinions about.

It's all a part of Growing and Learning, right?

More on used to thinks..?

check out "I used to believe" ...for thousands of posts on topics like animals, religion, food...though not all of these are stuff I'd use in the Big Room.

Also, this brilliant episode of This American Life