My Children are in their twenties now. It is so interesting the things that they share that are the most vivid memories from childhood. They remember the special tree in the neighbor's yard that became the "secret hideout." Another place was the hill in our backyard where they would ride their trikes, big wheels and bikes Until they were too tired to do any more. There was our elderly neighbor who let them put the food in his many bird feeders. These were all just a few feet from our house.
What play activities did they love. On hot days, the sprinkler was always in use. Every summer, our family used a lot of sidewalk chalk. There were elaborate drawings with vivid colors. We drew hopscotch, four square and shuffle board outlines and would play these games all times of the day and evening. When we had our son, some new activities were added. A tee ball stand was so much fun for everyone. Since he had sensory and motor skill difficulties some creativity was required. There are so many carnival games that a hula hoop and a few beanbags that a child with less abilities can manage. Oh, I can't forget bubbles. There are so many ways to do bubbles but one of my favorites was to take a fly swatted and dip it in bubble mixture. Swing it back and forth and voila a sea of bubbles all everywhere!
Oh, there were so many things that our children did each summer but some of these simple play activities are what they remember most. They did them with friends, their siblings, cousins and My husband and I. It's so much about the relationships they had growing up and the shared experiences of the normal everyday play. Play is all about shared experiences, interaction, developing imagination and navigating the social nature of play. These are a big deal and everyday activities around the neighborhood are the best ways to learn these.
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