there's no such thing as PLAY time

one of my favorite things is to watch children PLAY. enjoying, exploring, discovering, creating, imagining, working it out for themselves - all without the internal dialogue of what needs to get done today, what's for dinner tonight, how they're going to afford this or that, and dwelling on their last conversation or argument with a loved one. they're so carefree and each time they PLAY, it's always like the first time they're experiencing it. i love it. there's such a beauty in it and i feel like the luckiest person ever, as i get to watch kids PLAY daily. but i have to admit, sometimes i watch with envy.

we hit a certain park about 3-4 times a week where there are wood chips rather than sand. elena loves it cuz of the wood chips. here she is elena playing with them. the wood chips bring her such happiness, seriously, for hours. how can i not be a little envious?! if only a handful of wood chips could do it for me.


"ahhhh - wood chips!!"

"oh how i've missed you since last time we played!"

"(gasp) there's just no two the same!"

"you get a kiss, my little wood chip!"


in her glory.....amongst the wood chips.


but in a way, they absolutely do....cuz i can't tell you how happy it makes me that she's a happy girl.

"It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them." Leo Buscaglia