Finally the stars aligned that I was able to join one of the Wild Zone afternoons.
If you've ever worried about your kids hanging on the couch and cultivating bad attitudes and posture, it refreshes the soul to see them making tree forts, playing in the mud, and forming teams, alliances and running around like banshees. (and yes, using any available stick to engage in Jedi swordplay....)
I was quite pleasantly surprised to meet both of the founders of the group, and they have quite a good system in place. They have a series of "play rangers" college students, mostly, who set up sticks, flowers, mud pits in a way to encourage cooperative (but messy) play. A big log over a mild dip becomes a bridge, and countless wigwams and tree forts were constructed and decorated.
My kids never once missed their video games the whole time we were there, and they ate and slept with nary a complaint that night. We'll be back! (They have them every 2nd Saturday in our area, and I'll be including them in the calendar of events for my Family Fitness and Fun meetup.)
Let the Wild Rumpus continue!
I was quite pleasantly surprised to meet both of the founders of the group, and they have quite a good system in place. They have a series of "play rangers" college students, mostly, who set up sticks, flowers, mud pits in a way to encourage cooperative (but messy) play. A big log over a mild dip becomes a bridge, and countless wigwams and tree forts were constructed and decorated.
My kids never once missed their video games the whole time we were there, and they ate and slept with nary a complaint that night. We'll be back! (They have them every 2nd Saturday in our area, and I'll be including them in the calendar of events for my Family Fitness and Fun meetup.)
Let the Wild Rumpus continue!
I agree...there is nothing better than to see your kids enjoying the great outdoors!
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