A Stand for Outdoor Play

When we play, we learn better, dream bigger, smile loudly, and grow up a little slower.

And when we play, we get to be the best version of ourselves. The version that laughs hysterically, dreams wildly, and squeezes as much fun as possible out of a Saturday afternoon.

There are a lot of rules in a kid’s world. Shouldn’t play be a time for throwing the rule-book to the wind, and making the tune up as you go? Play should be free from walls, wires, and instruction manuals. It should be left open to interpretation by imagination, and movement should be required. Whether play involves sticks, rocks, hills or a good set of wheels -- we should be losing our breath and finding our voices.

Play should be free to roam into the wild blue yonder, even if ‘yonder’ is just to the edge of the sidewalk. There is so much wonder and excitement that lives just beyond the front door. Go ahead and get grass stains on your jeans, and dirt under your fingernails. Get out there and discover the most important thing there is to discover - -what you’re made of.

Be king of the cul-de-sac! Or princess of the park!!  Be imaginative, hilarious and curious. Go low-tech and high-energy. Give it a hop, skip, jump, and spin around ‘til you fall down. Make it

tough on the washing machine, and more importantly, make it count!!

When you think about it, outside doesn’t really have boundaries – not natural ones anyway. You don’t have to be quiet, or behave, or be still. You can be anything you want. Outside, you can run wild. Inside, running isn’t even allowed.

So, we would like to remind everyone that outside is still out there. Waiting to be climbed up and jumped on, and raced through until the fireflies start blinking. Leave no hills unconquered, and no sidewalks unchalked. Because we all know that the best things in life aren’t “in” at all.

What outside adventures have your kids embarked on recently?