Good Old-Fashioned Fun

It seems like the world never stops changing.  And in fact, the world changes at such a fast rate these days, it’s almost impossible to keep up.  But one thing that never does change is the kind of thing that keeps a child happy.  Sure, they love their new technical video games, which seem to evolve every year in time for Christmas, and they can’t put down those cell phones once they reach the age to figure out how to convince you to buy them one, but there are certain things that always hold allure for breathing, energized child.

Toy Cars and Dolls

Depending on whether you’ve got daughters or sons, and sometimes regardless of which, a plain old toy car or doll is one of those things that will always keep a kid happy.  Sure, they’ve got the ones with all the bells and whistles now, but even the simplest of dolls will captivate a young girl’s heart if it’s cute to her, and a young boy can spend weeks digging in the dirt, building a track for little cars that don’t even move on their own.  Technology is no match for a child’s imagination.

Trampolines

Trampolines sure have evolved, and the ones today are enough to keep a full-grown adult happy, given that he isn’t too big.  Kids can stay entertained for years on a good-sized trampoline, and the older they get the more it will freak a parent out the kid of stunts they pull on them.  “Watch how many flips I can do in a row, Mom.”  Thanks, now let me go inside until my heart comes back out of my stomach.

Swingsets

Ah.  Such a simple contraption the swingsets.  In fact, sitting back and looking at them, you might find yourself wondering just why kids love them so much.  It’s not high adrenaline.  It’s repetitive.  Just that constant back and forth swinging motion.  Seems almost boring, but kids will never grow tired of swingsets, and adults who ever wander into a playground will find they still reminisce the most when simply sitting in the seat of a swing. No imagination necessary—just a direct link to the past.

Water

Water is king in the heart of a child.  It doesn’t matter what form it comes in really.  A pool.  A lake.  A river.  An ocean.  A sprinkler.  Do you remember those old slip-n-slide contraptions that used to liven up barbecues when you were a kid?  Nothing much to it but a long strip of rubber and hose and people were sliding across the yard on their stomach.  Water never loses its appeal.

Remember these points next time you feel like you don’t have the money to keep up with technology and innovation.  The thing with these types of contraptions— education toy dolls, trampolines, swingsets, or even something as varied as a source of water to play in—is they last a long time.  You don’t have to buy a new model every year, and they are so captivating they often save your from buying other new “things.”

Keep it simple, and keep your kids smiling.  Kids are still kids after all.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.