8/26/2023 0 Comments Facebook national memory masterI knowingly smiled back at Leo and his fists full of sand and then plopped down by his side. Then he grabbed a handful in each fist and without prompting said, “soft sand.” ![]() Then he began swishing them back and forth. I told him it was sand, and he turned back to the bank to place both his hands gently down. He squatted down, the way only toddlers can, and pointed at the ground, pursing his lips into a deep “oooh.” The other day, Leo was shuffling down the creek and eventually paused to inspect a dry bank that was free of the small rocks which scattered the edges of the creek. Who couldn’t use a better sense of humor these days? Play can increase your creativity, help you better handle stress and even improve your sense of humor. It turns out there are many benefits of play for adults, too. Unstructured play allows children to create, discover and explore freely without any set guidelines and it has been shown to boost cognitive, physical, social and emotional development. He reminds me about presence and how to play. I let Leo lead the way, going wherever his little body can bring him and I stop when he does, careful neither to interrupt nor rush him along. I have been taking him to a small neighborhood creek that drains into San Timoteo Creek, a tributary of the Santa Ana River. The silt I found sprinkled on top of the stream banks was my treat and my hands indulged in it. That did not ruin the magic for me though. Sand that is carried in water settles out first on the shore, followed by silt. Silt is finer, composed of much smaller rock and minerals that weigh less than sand. ![]() When I took a soils class in college, I learned it wasn’t sand at all, but silt. It was a mystery to me how something could be so fine and smooth and in those moments I was fully present in the sensory experience. I have a vivid memory as a barefoot preschooler, sifting the sun-warmed sand back and forth through my hands. On family camping trips while my brothers fished for trout, I plopped myself on the bank of the stream to dig my hands in with delight. ![]() Fortunately, nature was always beckoning. Sure, Super Nintendo was a favorite pastime for my generation, but there were only two controllers, and I had two older brothers. My family often took us camping and encouraged us to connect with nature. Growing up, I was lucky to spend a great deal of time outdoors. The mysteries, wonder and simple joys of nature can be rediscovered through the eyes of children. By Nicole Padron | Contributing Columnist
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |