I went camping at the beach with my family over the holiday. The weekend included three of my four siblings, friends, and all of our children, and I have not played so hard in a long time. We flew kites, dug in the sand with shovels and pails, made sand castles, played football, and threw a boomerang around. Every time a new toy came out a new activity ensued. We brought cards and board games to play at night, but by the time the sun went down we were too tired and hung out singing and talking by the camp fire instead. My nephew turned seven so we had his birthday celebration at the beach, and he received his first kite. He was so thrilled and excited to learn to fly it. Of course, the Oregon coast is notoriously good for making a first time success out of any kite flying venture. (Our pink flamingo that flew as well as a penguin being the exception to that rule.) His kite was a basic delta flyer and he got it up really high right away. I guess the thing that struck me as I played with all of these kids and their toys was how rich the toys made the experience. It sounds a little strange coming from a toy store owner, but you kind of forget how important the toys really are once they are in the hands of a child. As you talk to a customer about the virtues of open ended play, you forget the reality of it. This weekend I crawled under a parachute with a bunch of community children at a party, had a water fight, flew balsa wood airplanes, and set off rocket balloons. Then I went to the coast and played with my family. The vitality in these kids as they actively played was so contagious and wonderful. It's a great thing when a child takes you by the hand and shows you that you never outgrow play. It just takes some reminding, flexibility, and a little bit of time.
I went camping at the beach with my family over the holiday. The weekend included three of my four siblings, friends, and all of our children, and I have not played so hard in a long time. We flew kites, dug in the sand with shovels and pails, made sand castles, played football, and threw a boomerang around. Every time a new toy came out a new activity ensued. We brought cards and board games to play at night, but by the time the sun went down we were too tired and hung out singing and talking by the camp fire instead. My nephew turned seven so we had his birthday celebration at the beach, and he received his first kite. He was so thrilled and excited to learn to fly it. Of course, the Oregon coast is notoriously good for making a first time success out of any kite flying venture. (Our pink flamingo that flew as well as a penguin being the exception to that rule.) His kite was a basic delta flyer and he got it up really high right away. I guess the thing that struck me as I played with all of these kids and their toys was how rich the toys made the experience. It sounds a little strange coming from a toy store owner, but you kind of forget how important the toys really are once they are in the hands of a child. As you talk to a customer about the virtues of open ended play, you forget the reality of it. This weekend I crawled under a parachute with a bunch of community children at a party, had a water fight, flew balsa wood airplanes, and set off rocket balloons. Then I went to the coast and played with my family. The vitality in these kids as they actively played was so contagious and wonderful. It's a great thing when a child takes you by the hand and shows you that you never outgrow play. It just takes some reminding, flexibility, and a little bit of time.
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