Time to Play: When We Go Camping

By Julie Kieras, happystronghome.com

When we go camping… It’s always more work than we expected!

When we go camping… Our baby (now toddler) cocoons in his seat on the ride north, emerging in a flutter of arms and legs to run around the dirt campsite.

When we go camping… Our son’s favorite trail is to the water spigot, even the smallest camper pitching in, holding the handle of Daddy’s bucket

When we go camping… He learns to walk by navigating tree roots and trails, scampering like a squirrel along the ground

When we go camping… Our campsite abounds with babylegs, Bumbos, bug netting, bandanas, and bare feet

When we go camping… The best toys are tiny treasures we collect – sticks, leaves, rocks, bugs

When we go camping… The lake becomes our own zero entry pool, safe for small ones to enter slowly

When we go camping… We spy owls, chipmunks, squirrels, ducks, deer… we think we hear a moose calling in the dead of night

When we go camping… Loons wake us in the night with their haunting cries… in the morning, we feel brave enough to echo them

When we go camping… Flashlights bob on the walls of our tent, like fireflies waiting to be released from a jar

When we go camping… We huddle together on a floating mattress in a flashing darkness, while three thunderstorms pour over us

When we go camping… Rough earth, scratchy grass, coarse sand, silky water – new textures bring delight

When we go camping… We stay connected –to the twitter of birds, the faces of family, the sights of hawks and eagles circling the sky

When we go camping… Our son leaves with new vocabulary, new energy, new ideas for play

When we go camping… It’s always more worthwhile than we expected.

This blog was written by Guest Blogger Julie Kieras, who is the author of happystronghome.com, a natural family living blog that catering to parents who either have transitioned or seek to move towards a natural lifestyle. For more information, readers can contact Julie at juliekieras@comcast.net.

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