In 2019, we invited children to formulate questions about their own lives, open-ended questions that could not be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” They could write them down, draw them, or say them aloud, and then cast them into the air through a special die. Each face of the die featured a phrase by an artist, philosopher, or thinker that, in a symbolic and poetic way, offered a response. Chance thus became a vehicle for play and shared reflection.

The atmosphere was playful and creative: we provided cardboard boxes, paper, coloring materials, and pre-written phrases that complemented the responses generated by the dice. Theatrical exercises inspired by the figure of the oracle were carried out, exploring bodily awareness and collective listening. The activity, originally conceived around a cloth doll, was adapted to the context: children and facilitators used modeling clay as a base to create a character, which was later adorned with objects made by other participants.

The doll gradually took shape as a representation of an imaginary child living somewhere else in the world, yet sharing emotions and ideas similar to those of the participants. Each child contributed collected materials, fabric scraps, containers, thread, or discarded objects, to decorate the dolls. The process strengthened dexterity, collaboration, and inventiveness, transforming creation into a space of encounter where the individual became intertwined with the collective.