Thursday, June 23, 2011

Summer induced imagination

My kids went to Mexico. One morning after their work, #3 started packing her bags and when asked, informed me that she was on her way to Mexico. It wasn't long before our family room was a maze of blankets draped between backs of chairs; pillows, pretend food and stuffed animals were dragged out of bedrooms and play room and used as provisions for their stay in Mexico. The kids crawled under their blanket forts, occasionally emerging to write letters home and slip them under my bedroom door. Later I sent a letter back to Mexico, asking the children to come home soon because their Mama missed them.

It's hard to go to Mexico all day without getting hungry. Fruit snacks and crackers were smuggled into the country. And I'm pretty sure watery tea was served beneath the blankety fortress.

In the late afternoon, when every toy, blanket and pillow in our house were in Mexico I insisted that it was time for the kids to come home. The Great Clean Up began with surprisingly few complaints and mostly helpful kids.

When the house was put back in order and we sat around the dinner table, #3 asked, "After dinner can we go to Mexico again?"


I just love unstructured time in the summer when our children come up with these elaborate schemes. What fun or crazy things have your kids done this summer?

5 comments:

mandy said...

just think if you lived somewhere in the northwest for instance they'd likely be playing 'gone to canada'. ooh-- another imaginative idea for a later summer date! (that game would have way better accents too!)

SRSJ said...

Thank goodness for summer vacation!! Looking forward to seeing you guys soon.

Erin A said...

You are such a nice mom to let them go to Mexico! Usually my kids only make it to the border before I send them packing back to the linen closet.

Crafts seem to have taken over at our house: homemade flowers, masks, rainbows with pipe cleaners, banners, and door signs saying, "com in!"

We've been cooking up fancy recipes too like rice crispy treats!

I should follow your example though and let them take a day trip somewhere exotic. I would love a day to escape to my own world found in my pile of books

moomycoz said...

That was a perfect summer activity - induced by a child's imagination with room to take it wherever they wanted to go. I'm with you - that is the beauty of summer vacation.

Holly said...

How fun, sounds familiar-- Did they go around selling Chiclets too?