Kids can find fun in anything.....

[jujube]

I took my 3 1/2-year-old almost granddaughter out for a girl's day yesterday. The usual....lunch at McDonald's (her "favoritest", as she puts it), trip to Dollar Tree, park time and, best of all, an art gallery in a nearby town that has a long low cement wall in front with thousands of "things" pressed into the cement - watches, dolls, medals, figurines, mirrors, keys, cellphones, marbles....you name it, it's there.

We spent almost two hours sitting on the sidewalk marveling at the stuff we found. What she liked the best was the "scavenger hunt". I'd say, "find me a wristwatch" and she'd be off to find it. Then it would be "find me a key...remote...foot....dog....horse...."

Kids don't need to go to Disney World or an arcade to have fun; they can find fun in anything. Too bad we adults often lose that ability. I think we're going to turn everything into a scavenger hunt from now on. If it's raining, we'll go to the mall and find cellphones and red dresses.

I'm so lucky. This is one of the most delightful children on earth and I'm getting to enjoy my second....third?...fourth?...childhood with her.

 

[Carla]

They are fun, aren't they? I always enjoyed playing with the grandkids. Have only one younger one left-she is eight but lots of fun. We still do parks and play dollies, have overnights. Kids still enjoy using their imaginations and seem to really enjoy our undivided attention, that time is precious!

 

[Marie5656]

I remember when my niece was about 7, I took her to Dollar Tree with a $5 bill in hand..and told her she could buy any 5 things. My plan was to pay the tax at checkout. She was totally amazed she could pick ANY 5 items and she would have enough money.

 

[Aunt Bea]

The little kids are fun and they really love an adult that will join with them. I remember the rainy days when we threw a bed sheet over the dining room table, it could become a fort, tent, castle, etc... or the campfires in the living room fireplace with sleeping bags on the floor.

The mention of the dollar store made me think of how much fun it is to teach the little kids the fun and importance of buying gifts for others. It is a great place to go Christmas or Birthday shopping for Parents and Grandparents. Kids love to be part of a little secret conspiracy that involves adults. Good stuff!!!

 

[jujube]

Dollar Tree is a learning experience for kids. You tell them they can have three items. So they grab the first three items they see...but then...see something they'd rather have. Decisions, decisions, decisions.....do I go for the package with two large balls or the package with four small balls? The bag of toy soldiers or the package of tiny cars? Some nail polish or a fancy mirror? The big bag of animal crackers or the candy bar?

And it's wonderful for Christmas shopping. I remember taking my granddaughter on her first Christmas buying spree to Dollar Tree. She found a package of five small rolls of electrical tape in different colors and she was SURE that there was nothing that her daddy would like or needed more. Great-grandma got a small pink hairbrush with a mirror on the back....tres elegante it was. I think somebody got some fancy nailfiles and somebody else got a large jug of fruit punch. I didn't try to influence her choices....she had her own reasons for what she bought and she was mighty proud of doing it. Of course, because kids can't keep secrets, everyone was informed of what they were getting within 24 hours of the trip, but.......