The Fine Art of Play

Now that I have a young boy of my own I am becoming increasingly concerned about what passes for entertainment these days. I understand that there is really no such thing as the ‘good old day’ and that each era has had its problems. I also understand that my childhood could not possibly be as idyllic as I remember it being.

That said, I do know that I did not spend near as much time in front of a computer, television screen, or indoors as many of the children I meet today. In fact, I spent less time indoors than my little sister (there is of course almost a decade between us). As a twenty five year old, it isn’t that I don’t enjoy watching television or playing video games on occasion, it’s just that I remember what it was like to get out and explore, to foster a sense of wonder for the world that we live in.

Now that I am raising a child I would like to instill in him that sense of wonder for the little miracles all around us. I want him to see the world as a great big beautiful place that is full of countless mysteries and treasures just waiting to be discovered. To be honest, I’m still doing everything I can to foster this attitude in myself. Just yesterday, after work, I found a climbable tree, stripped off my shoes and climbed up as far as I could. I wasn’t even out of my work clothes yet! It was simply too good to resist.

While finding a climbable tree I saw all kinds of interesting insects, frogs, and more. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in a world without these things. I want to share them with my little boy. Why watch a nature documentary when you can get out and explore it? Why play video games in a make believe world when there are amazing experiences waiting right outside your back door?