Children learn best through play and exploration. The time we give them to just relax in the world and process all that is around them is far more valuable then signing them up for activities and wearing them out by the end of the day. Activities are great in moderation but sometimes it is nice to just let them play and be kids. Allow them to see the world through their own curious eyes. Enjoy the moment with them as you see how simple it can be to engage in the world and learn to love the small things.
The small things I learned to love once again were tiny seashells. When I was a kid and my parents took me to the beach I would collect as many tiny seashells as I could. I loved just playing around and relaxing near the water. I had almost forgotten all about those tiny seashells until I brought my little one to the beach. The first thing she noticed was the tiny seashells all around her. She was happy just collecting seashells, walking barefoot in the sand, and jumping in the water. No schedule, no pretext, and no lessons. The only thing we concentrated on was the beautiful scenery, the tiny seashells, and the cool water. It was so precious watching her laugh as she splashed in the water and ran out again to roll in the sand. Simple fun. Just because the fun was simple did not mean she wasn’t learning or that we were not spending important time together. Collecting tiny seashells never was so much fun as collecting with her. She was thrilled as found shells that had slight variations from the ones she had. All the background learning about building a sand castle, water rushing to the shore, and the differences between the seashells, gives her a fresh perspective and time to process the world at her own rate.
Go out and just have fun. Learning and growth happens every day and mostly through play.