Thousands of Legos, dress up clothes from good will, an old tape recorder to tape our own radio dramas, swords and capes, a back yard with kick the can, hide and seek, king of the mountain; a play kitchen with real pots and pans from mom's kitchen and food to experiment with and real cooking with mom; garden tools, boards to build on outside, blankets to build indoor tents over card tables; building blocks; colored pencils, paints, butcher paper by the yard, play dough, hiking, cups of tea with stories, scavenger hunts galore, pretend----many more were the play times of our children. They were not allowed to do "media" in the daylight--except for a half hour and or if they were sick or if it was an exception--they knew not to ask. Why, because I had read article after article that said how important play and discovery and creating was to the growth and process of children's intelligence and brains.
Building a "real" culture of life in your home may require planning, but it also probably means that lots of kids will be at your house--because you may be one of the only places that still encourages creativity and play and wild running and letting children have free play and fun. Parks were great when we lived overseas in small apartments--and hiking trails and a walk every day.
God provided in natural life and nature and home, all that our children needed to develop intelligence and vocabulary and healthy minds and bodies. We just need to be protectors and promoters of these great ways God built for children to be happy and healthy.
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Pray for us as we celebrate the concepts of joy and celebrating life with hundreds of women in Dallas this weekend.
Please pray for my children as they are always taxed during this season--they also become targets. I so appreciate all the encouraging emails and notes and will some day get to answer all of them. But they mean a whole lot to me! Blessings of His grace today.