Liza_Sullivan

Hi Fellow Playmakers and Play Advocates,

I am excited to report that next week my community will be hosting a "Last Days of Summer Park-A-Day Challenge," which is a collaborative effort amongst five local park districts and an early childhood advocacy organization. Each day throughout the week families will be encouraged to visit seven featured parks (one per day).

KaBOOM!'s Park-A-Day Summer Challenge was a large source of inspiration for this new program. To read more about this local initiative in the northern suburbs of Chicago, please see the following link:
Free Play For All With Park-A-Day Challenge!
Warmest regards,
Liza Sullivan

Thank you both for taking the time to complete the survey and letting us know your thoughts on the project. We truly appreciate your support, time, and reflections. Much appreciation, Liza

Dear Fellow Playmakers and Play Advocates,

The Global Play Memories Project (GPMP) needs your help in collecting meaningful play memories from around the world.

Please consider taking just a few minutes to tell us about your play memories!

All participants in the GPMP will be asked the same five questions listed below.

• Can you tell us about a favorite memory of childhood play?

• Were there things that prevented you from playing as a child?

• Is there anything about your childhood play that is still a part of your life?

• Do you think that children’s play has changed since you were a child?

• How does it feel to think back about your childhood memories of play?

The primary goal of the GPMP is to collect adults’ and children’s play memories from around the world. By interviewing individuals about their experiences and thoughts regarding play, the aim is to document a diverse collection of stories in order to understand and advocate for children’s play.

Please visit the GPMP website and take the survey now!

http://globalplaymemories.org/

Thank you in advance for your support and time,

Liza Sullivan

Hi All,
I am excited to join this new group! Thank you, Amy, for the suggestion to post my recent article in Early Childhood (the Alliance for Early Childhood's newsletter) about my family's participation in KaBOOM!'s 2010 Park-A-Day Summer Challenge. See page 3 and 13 of the following link: http://www.winnetkaalliance.org/pdf/Spring2011.pdf. I look forward to sharing resources with and learning from all of you! Thanks, Liza

“Kids with good self-regulation are able to control their emotions and behavior, resist impulses, and exert self-control and discipline.”  Alix Spiegel

One of the most prominent skills I have witnessed Henry and Jettie develop when confronted with a physical challenge this summer, is their growing ability to self-regulate.  When listening closely to their private speech, I observe them creating a plan of what they are going to do and how they are going to do it, within their own physical and emotional limits.  Laura Berk, an executive function researcher states, “Self-regulation predicts effective development in virtually every domain."  Many long-term studies have shown this critical cognitive skill has life-long benefits.  Berk found that not only children utilize self-regulating language, but adults also use it “to surmount obstacles, to master cognitive and social skills, and to manage emotions."

Here is an example of Jettie’s developing use of self-regulatory speech as she climbed this tree today.  She exclaimed, “Mom, this tree is so cool (pointing to a fallen tree just off the trail).  Mom, I will fly (as she boldly begins to climb).  Mom, it is kind of scary (slowing down, then stopping to devise a plan).  I am high as I can get.  Maybe I should get down.  Can I fall?  Maybe I should go back.  I’ll try it again.  This is hard.  I may fall (and she cautiously climbed up again, reaching a higher limit than before).”   

I did not try to stop Jettie as she decided to scale this potentially dangerous tree.  As I assured her that falling was certainly a possibility, I also conveyed that trusted her.  I trusted that she knows her own limits and that she would only climb as high as she felt comfortable.  She did just that, without any injuries, just growing self-confidence and pride.  Jettie was completely serious and fully concentrated as she ascended, knowing that she could hurt herself if she was not deliberate and controlled with her movements.  For a young girl who is spontaneous, spirited, and sometimes (perceived by others as) uncontrolled, this is the most loving, beneficial (and the most fun) way I know to support her in developing self- control.   

Another significant life-long skill was also introduced during our visit to the Heller Nature Center today.  My children loved comparing our individual map, the maps along the trail, and the arrows posted along the trail to determine if we were headed in the right direction.  This was an excellent, relevant platform to begin talking about the concepts of location, direction, symbols, and distance.

“There are two different roads.  Let’s figure this out.  Which one goes to the pond?”

“The pond is up here (pointing to the symbol of the pond on the map - see the second photo to the left).  We are going to the ring (another symbol on the map).  Let’s go this way (pointing to the correct pathway)!”   

Other favorite quotes from our visit…

“Mom, I see my shadow!  What are you doing shadow?  Come on, Shadow.”

“Mom, look at this!  What is a slug?  Why is it so slimy?”

“I am going to draw the water.  Look, I made a pond!”

Other favorite aspects of the Nature Center…

Child-made forts hidden in the woods 

“Mom, I disappeared (going through the fort).  Want me to come back?”

A small children’s educational cabin with information about native animals and insects.  For example, children first learn about building log homes, then have an opportunity to use Lincoln Logs to design their own log home.

“In secret places, children develop and control environments of their own and enjoy freedom from the rules of the adult world…If we allow children to shape their own small worlds in childhood, then they will grow up knowing and feeling that they can participate in shaping the big world tomorrow.”  David Sobel

This is a truly magical, rich, and varied play space.  As we approached the park, the children and I fell in awe of its uniqueness. 

The majestic, wooden towering structures provided a treasured sensory experience (lacking in most play structures) – the feel, sound, and smell of the old wood inspired both imaginative qualities, as well as a clear integration with the surrounding natural elements. 

To me what was most captivating were the ubiquitous private places – the wooden narrow pathways, the underlying crawlspaces with hidden artwork, and the enclosed towers, all providing secret spaces for children to play.  In these secluded (at least in a child’s mind) areas you can easily imagine children burying treasures, sneaking away to talk quietly among friends, engaging in imaginative play, or having a brief pause for reflection.  Below are some examples of these hidden spaces. 

It seemed no detail was overlooked, providing a large range of different types of play spaces, including moving staircases, a performance area with tiered seating (first photo below), musical instruments (second photo below), several distinctive physical challenges (e.g. tire swings, tire tunnel, slide, walkway with hanging bars) , and (perhaps most impressive) large-scale vehicles (bulldozer, train, and truck are shown in the last row of photos below).

This is certainly a park that the children need to visit more than once.  During this first trip, Henry and Jettie simply ran from place to place in surprise, aiming to discover the different areas.  If we visit again and as they feel more acquainted, I suspect their play will become much more in-depth, imaginative, and inspired. 

649 Prairie Avenue

“Self-confidence is the memory of success” Anonymous

Today I witnessed a story of how play supports children in building their inner bravery and developing self-confidence.

Henry gradually climbed to the top of this rope structure, declaring “I am king of the pirate ship!”  Following this proud moment, he seemed to cautiously stare downwards, contemplating that the climb down may not be as easy as the climb up.  He skittishly asked, “How do I get down?  How can I get out of here?  I will be trapped and it is so big too!  Can you help me?  Now you will have to cut this rope open, then we won’t be able to climb it anymore, but I will be safe and not have to stay here forever.  You will not have to drive here everyday and climb up to bring me food.  I know I can not be up for everyday.”  With this last utterance of a brief reality check, Henry talked himself into slowly and carefully descending on his own.   

Once he made it down, he yelled with relief and conviction, “I did it!”  Then he coached himself on how to do it another time.  He assertively whispered, “And I know I will remember how to climb it again.  I learned from when I did it yesterday (perhaps climbing down felt to him like a full day of work).”  In half the time he ascended a second time.  At the top he instructed me, “You say, ‘How did you get up there?’  Now I am super higher than you!” 

Henry spent the rest of his time at the park repeatedly and effortlessly climbing up and down his “pirate ship,” especially enjoying himself when older, more adept climbers joined him.  His new found abilities and self-assurance allowed him to feel a part of the games these other children played. 

One last general note...This park has three different areas with distinct play structures, as well as open fields and a large concrete play lot, offering a variety of options for children.  Below are some images of the different spaces and play equipment.

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Sheridan Rd. & Michigan Ave.

 “As parents and teachers of these very young children, you have the opportunity to help them develop and expand their capacity for make-believe and keep that sense of magic alive throughout their lives.”  Dorothy and Jerome Singer

“The most important play for young children is play with parents – make sure you make some time for play every day.” Anonymous

When I am at a playground with Henry and Jettie, I see my role as multi-faceted.  Primarily, I aim to be a respectful and inquisitive observer.  I share Vivian Gussin Paley’s sentiments when she writes in The Boy On The Beach, “There are few events better than the play of four- and five-year-olds to release memories and stir up old connections for me.  But I can never again be like the players on the beach.  They take on new identities as easily as the roll of the waves.  I cannot be the fireman who races to put out fires or the mother who saves her baby from drowning.  Conventional thinking limits my own transformations, but once again I have glimpsed the nature and practice of being a child.  As always, I sit in respectful wonder at the ultimate meaning and purpose of these dreamlike sequences.” 

I too take immense pleasure and greatly value listening to (and trying to understand) the remarkable, intricate stories and characters that are created as youngsters play.  I marvel at how Henry and Jettie have grown skillful at naturally partnering to invent and weave together imaginative tales.  It is only when I am asked, that I change my role to join in.  During these times, I am careful to let my children lead the unfolding drama. 

At the park today, I experienced what felt to be the repercussions of young children who did not have an attentive, interested adult accompany them to the park.  The feelings I sensed from these two girls were a helpful reminder to me that observing and participating in children’s play has a great impact on both their experiences and development.    

As we approached the park, Henry and Jettie were immediately drawn to the large, red two-story ship (shown in the photograph).  Henry ran to wheel at the bottom level, while Jettie wanted to be the captain of the top level.  They worked together seamlessly, sharing the responsibilities to steer the boat safely to shore.

Henry yelled to Jettie above, "Can I be the captain down below?  Do not drive yet because I am not down there.  It is not clear!  Not everyone is ready to go!"  Jettie asked, "Do they have their seatbelts on?"  Henry confirmed, "Yeah.  So, is it clear yet?"  Jettie explained, "No, the people are not sitting down yet (pause).  Now it is clear."  Henry stated, "When the steering wheel bumps (the wheel wobbled as it turned, but he interestingly incorporated this into his play), that means there are waves.  There are waves.  Look out!  I am going to say, 'Look out, there are waves, Jet.’  Can you dock the boat, please?”  Jettie confirmed, “Alright, I did.”  Then Jettie asked, "Henry, can I drive down below?"  Henry said (as he started to move to the upper level), "Sure.  But don't drive yet.  I am not up there."  Jettie hurriedly replied, "But we have to go.  A girl wants to go quickly to her grandma's house.  A girl wants to go so I am driving quick.  OK?"

While Henry and Jettie continued to play out this scene and I observed, two slightly younger girls joined them on the ship.  One immediately walked up to me and asked, “Would you watch me go down the slide?”  As I looked to her caregiver, I realized that she was on her cell phone, with her face turned away from the girls.  I brought all the kids with me to this new area in hopes they would play independently, building a story together as Henry and Jettie did when we first arrived.  However, when the girls tried new things at the park, they repeatedly called to me, “Look, look at me!”  These frequent requests for my acknowledgement interfered with the kids’ ability to play autonomously.  Finally, after we said our “good-byes” the girls watched us from the edge of the playground as we climbed trees on the way to our car. 

I was quite saddened by these events, because these children seemed so starved for adult interaction, affirmation, and participation.  Although I am sympathetic that adults need time on the phone and I did not understand the situation of this particular caregiver, I am again reminded that when you play with or observe your children, you support their learning, growth, and positive development.

“There are no days in life so memorable as those which vibrated to some stroke of the imagination.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

As I was cleaning up from breakfast, Henry and Jettie became completely engrossed in playing “Santa” together.  After wrapping several toys in a large blanket tied with string, one child would pretend to sleep as the other hid the secret package.  The sleeping child would then awake to excitedly hunt for their new treasures from Santa. 

When I interrupted to ask which park they wanted to visit, they adamantly replied in unison, “We want to stay HOME today!  PLEASE can we stay home and play?”  Realizing that most mornings we promptly leave for our next park adventure, I respected their need and desire to have a quiet day at home.  Although our participation in the Challenge has brought tremendous benefits, so do unscheduled days at home, when they are allowed both time and space to let their imaginations freely unfold.

After playing and reading inside for a while, we ventured out to our front stoop to paint and enjoy the warm summer day.  I intentionally brought Henry and Jettie to the front versus our backyard, in order to socialize with our neighbors and invite other kids to join us, if any were around.  The kids first colored with oil pastel crayons (or Cray-Pas), then overlaid frozen water color paints to their designs.

We then went on a long bike ride, stopping to watch the construction workers progress on a nearby home.  Last, we cooled off by running through the sprinkler.

Tomorrow we will continue our quest for innovate playgrounds, but today we needed to have our front yard be our final play space destination!

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“If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it.  Perhaps this is what Thoreau had in mind when he said, ‘the more slowly trees grow at first, the sounder they are at the core, and I think the same is true of human beings.” David Sobel

One clear and boundless gift that is resulting from my children’s participation in the KaBOOM! Summer Challenge has been a growing love of nature and a building curiosity of the world around them. 

They are becoming skilled at observing the bees and the butterflies as they fly amongst the colorful gardens at the park. 

In the car ride home, they talk about the different colors of dragonflies that they watched dart across the pond. 

Before leaving for our outings in the morning, they eagerly scout in our backyard for cicadas on leaves and branches. 

After getting books at our local library on different insects, they spend quiet time closely observing the photos and illustrations.

As a way to further foster their affection, fascination, and respect of living things, we have begun to closely observe and sketch the treasures we bring home from the different parks that we visit.  You may recall about a week ago Jettie found a dead dragonfly at the Keay Nature Learning Center.  Last night after dinner, our family all worked individually to draw it.

For me, the process of carefully examining and studying the dragonfly wings caused me to even further notice the intricate and stunning patterns inside.  The children too stated, “I notice that his wings have all sorts of shapes.”  “There are the vines on him.  That is what I call the patterns on his wings.”  This challenging, detailed task cultivated an even stronger love, respect, and appreciation of dragonflies.  Additionally, I hope it will also change our next observations of dragonflies in the parks that we visit.

Below are the comments and questions that Henry and Jettie stated as they worked.  Throughout the summer, I will continue to offer them opportunities for close observation, providing them time to further bond and understand the natural world.

Observing
“I noticed that he has two wings.” 
“I notice that his wings have all sorts of shapes.” 
“There are the vines on him.  That is what I call the patterns on his wings.”
“Look at his eyes!  They are all brown!  His eyes were blue but his eyes dried off and that’s why they are brown.”
“Dad, on his chin it looks like a beard (laughing)!”
“Mom, do you want to talk about the dragonfly?  I see something you never could see.  Mom, look at his cheeks!  They are really puffy!”

Questioning
“Why does he not have a wing on each side?” 
“Why does he have a crack in there (pointing to his tail)?”
“Why is he dead?”

Personifying
“That dragonfly may be the red dragonfly’s friend – that one that I spotted at that place (referring to Keay Nature Learning Center).”  

Commenting on Drawing
 “See his wings (referring to her drawing).  I stop when I get close to here (the edge of the paper).”
“I am going to make his wings first, then his body next.”

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298 Catalpa Place

“Play fosters belonging and encourages cooperation.”  Stuart Brown

In my opinion Wheeler Park is an exceptional neighborhood park.  It featured a variety of unusual play equipment (e.g. sand play area, spider web climbing challenge, dump truck toys), prompting both physical play, as well as cooperative play.

Due to its complexity, the design of the sand play area seemed more reminiscent of a children’s museum exhibit than a playground.  Children could use the pulley system to move the sand up from the ground to the tower.  In reverse, children used inclined pipes and different holes to funnel the sand down to the ground again (or into the blue and red wheelbarrow, dump trucks, or concrete mixer toys).  Through their play, Henry and Jettie employed procedural thinking, predicting, and understanding of cause and effect.  It was the addition of these simple machines (e.g. pulley, inclined planes) that prompted this higher level of thinking.  In addition, these same features encouraged cooperative play, since it was greatly beneficial to have more than one child working together to systematically move the sand up and down.

Moving the sand up
“Is it full?  You say ‘full’ when it is full.”  “Okay, it is full.  You can move it up now (first photo).”

Moving the sand down
“We could put it (the sand) through those holes.  (After some trial and error, Henry realized that he could move the dump truck right under the hole, push the sand through the three openings, and fill up the bed of truck.)  Now it is going into the dump truck!  Scrape, scrape, scrape (as he pushes sand into the holes).  There, I am done.  Now, time to dump it out!  Now this time we will fill up the cement truck.”

Cooperative play
Henry and Jettie played “fire fighters” together for a long time, utilizing the different play equipment stations as a fire truck, fire boat, and the fire station.  Here is some of their dialogue:
“Fire!  Wee ohh!  Everyone stand back.  It is an emergency!”
“How many is this, Mom (holding up all her fingers)?  10 people got hurt (as she rides down the fire pole).”
“Ding, ding.  Everyone out of the way (they both chant several times).  Wait.  How many is this (holding up all her fingers again)?  10 people need to be rescued!
“Jet, we are at the first emergency!  We are at the one that has a fire!  I put out the fire.  Now the other people need to be rescued.  Fire, fire!”
“(Running to the next play area) Oooh, now get on the fire boat ship!”

Physical play
"Mom, can I jump this high (Jettie asked from the top of the ladder, facing outward)?”  I explained that she could do it, but she needed to jump far out, so as to not hit the ladder.  After thinking about it, she came down to the second highest step.  There she felt comfortable that she could successfully do it and she was right.  I am becoming more and more comfortable that the kids know their own limits and will only attempt things that they can handle.  Each day of the Challenge she is going more and more agile, bold, and willing to challenge herself physically.  I see it as my job to support her and help foster this determination.

 55 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 742-5222

“The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.” — Plato

Crown Fountain

It was awe striking and simply joyous to watch hundreds of blissful children playing together in the Crown Fountain (designed by artist Jaume Plensa) at Millennium Park.  There, in the heart of the city, surrounded by stunning, towering skyscrapers and the hurried pace of an adult workday, time seemed to stop.  When my children walked into this area of the park, they quickly stripped down to their bathing suits and jumped right in, excited to experience the pure joy of playing in water on a hot summer day.  

Henry and Jettie repeatedly raced back and forth between the two large fountains at either end of the park.  They watched their splashes as they leapt across the water.  They even laid down, quickly waving their arms and legs to make water angels on the ground.

When we got home I printed off several of the photos from our trip and asked the kids to tell me what they remembered from our visit.  Henry recounted, "I like it when it shoots the water out.  Spit it, go spit, spit.  Then I was running.  I was pretending I was a water truck.  It stays in the water and brakes all the way.  It has brakes and gas."

Jettie reported, "I got soaking!  The water came out shooting.  It came out of the mouth.  I remember that.  It felt like shooting.  It was a high building.  I said to Henry, 'If we run really quick we will win.  I won because I got there in time.  And then that girl came."

It was quite a rare, proud, and memorable accomplishment for Jettie and Henry to be the only children under the squirting water.  Below is some information about the design of Crown Fountain to help those who have not yet visited Millennium Park.

"Crown Fountain is composed of a black granite reflecting pool placed between a pair of transparent glass brick towers. The towers are 50 feet tall, and they use LEDs behind the bricks to display digital videos on their inward faces.  The water intermittently cascades down the two towers and spouts through a nozzle on each tower's front face. When the screens are illuminated they show the faces of nearly a thousand individual Chicagoans, which features the vast diversity of the city. Each video includes moments where the person purses his or her lips and water spouts from a point in the display, such that it appears that the person is spitting the water out. This happens roughly every five minutes, and there is also a continuous stream of water that cascades over the images (excerpts from Wikipedia)."

Cloud Gate (or nicknamed "The Bean" because of it's bean-like shape) sculpture by Anish Kapoor

Henry described "The Bean" as "feeling magical."

Family Fun Tent

The rest of our time we spent in the Family Fun Tent (located on the Park's Chase Promenade North).  Daily activities include both family performances and several different hands-on activities (e.g. hands-on craft projects; garden, science and environmental activities led by several local museums and cultural institutions).  The programming offered in this area is an amazing asset for parents.  It also provides opportunities for different groups of children to play, build, and socialize with each other.  Below are Henry and Jettie's reflections of creating a house from large blue foam blocks, as well as hula hooping.

Imagination Playground Blocks

Henry recalls, "I am building a house.  I put that in and all sorts of other things.  It was easy.  That is my slide.  We put it on the house.  She (Jettie) slid down, then it fell.  Then I knocked down someone's building (by accident).  I was sorry for that."

Hula Hoops

Henry recounted, "I was rolling hula hoops.  They were rolling and rolling.  Then I had two.  It was like a bus.  Then they went the wrong way.  They went into the gate and hit the building!"

Jettie recalled a slightly older girl who approached her, handing her hula hoop, and then showed her how to use it, all without exchanging any words.  Jettie remembered, "That little girl.  She gave me the hula hoop.  She did not even know me.  She did not even know my name, right?  She shared with me."

Millennium Park is a lovely, magical, and joyous place for families, and a true gift to the children of Chicago (and all those who visit).

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1398 Sheridan Road

"In early childhood, distinct types of free play are associated with high creativity. Preschoolers who spend more time in role-play (acting out characters) have higher measures of creativity: voicing someone else’s point of view helps develop their ability to analyze situations from different perspectives. When playing alone, highly creative first graders may act out strong negative emotions: they’ll be angry, hostile, anguished. The hypothesis is that play is a safe harbor to work through forbidden thoughts and emotions." Newsweek, July, 10, 2010

For the entire article, see: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html

We divided our time at Langdon Park equally between the playground (shown in the photos) and the beach.  What impressed me the most was the distinct differences of the children's play in these two areas.  At the play structure, Henry and Jettie pretended to be a motorcyclist, bus driver, and big sister.  However, as they played quietly in the sand, solitarily taking in the surroundings, the children asked several inquisitive questions. 

I appreciate discovering a single place that both fosters children's imagination and inspires their innate sense of wonder.  

At The Playground - Pretending

Henry, The Motorcyclist: "Are you a policeman, Mom?  Am I going too fast?  You say, '1, 2, 3,' and I'll go.  Then you say, 'Too fast!'  You are the leader.  So put on the gas.  Put on the brakes.  I am going to you."

Henry, The Bus Driver: "No those are the driver's stairs (the stairs on the left of the play structure).  Go on the other ones (on the right side) and sit by the wires (or a second set of bright yellow poles that Henry pretended were the lines that passengers pull to request the bus driver to stop)."  Henry sang two verses of "The Wheels on the Bus," and then instructed, "Mom, go ding, ding with the bell.  You pull the one on the top.  Get off the bus!  Get off the bus really fast!  Something is wrong!  Ring the bottom one which means 'Go requested,' so I can go.  Ring the bottom one now.  Break fast!  That helps the smoke go off."

Henry was incorporating what he learned from our recent bus trip about how to pull a line in order to request the bus driver to stop the bus (see the photo of Jettie pulling this wire and then the cooresponding "Stop Requested" notification), as well as a special button that alerted the driver of an emergency on the bus.   

Jettie, The Big Sister: Jettie spent most of her time pushing the empty baby swings.  "Mom, look at that girl (pointing to the swings).  She is going super high.  Do you want to push the girl?  Do you want to push the boy?  Can I be Lexi (Jettie's older cousin) pushing Clare and Gavin (Lexi's younger brother and sister)?  The black (swing) is Gavin.  The one in white is Clare.  She swinged back and it hit my nose!"  After a few moments, Jettie walked to the top of the climbing structure, looking down at the swings still in motion.  She said, "I am just watching.  When they slow down, I will go back down to them."  When Jettie was hungry, she said, "Mom, Clare wants a snack.  Can she have one?  Then she added, "I will share with Clare."

At The Playground - Experimenting

At The Beach - Contemplating

"Look at all those rocks.  Let's throw them in the water.  It makes a big splash!"

"Let's go check out that over there (pointing north up the beach where the water hits the metal retaining wall).  Can we go for a little walk to check it out?  Why do waves splash?  Why are the waves rough down there?"

"Why do clouds make pictures?"

Mom: "Henry, what are you thinking?"  Henry: "I am thinking about waves.  Why does it make waves?"

398 Maple Avenue
"The ability to make believe is basic to a well-rounded, fulfilled human being."  Dorothy G. Singer and Jerome L. Singer

When people ask my son his name, he often states, "I am Henry, an engineer."  This morning he insisted on going back to Friend's Park because he wanted to drive the train again.  After much debate, deliberation, and slight coaxing to go somewhere new, he finally agreed to visit Maple Park.  I remembered it had both a pretend train and was right next to the Linden CTA train station.  Henry hesitantly agreed only after learning that we could hear and SEE real trains during our time at the park.  From the looks on their faces as they watched the "L" go by, you can see that they were quite happy with their decision.

Three weeks ago, my husband, my husband's parents, and I took Henry and Jettie to Chicago on the Metra train (another type of train in the Chicagoland area).  The first photo is of Henry watching out the window during this trip.  While playing with Henry at Maple Palk, it was striking to me how many details he recalled from these rides, and how much these experiences enriched his play.  Perhaps he quickly and easily jumped from being the bus driver, to the train station cashier, conductor, and finally to the engineer because he had studied real people in these roles. 

Additionally, his more comprehensive enactment of our experiences (especially compared to his dialogue at Friend's Park) may have been prompted by the several structures surrounding the pretend train.  For instance, to the right of the train was the "train station" where I purchased my tickets from Henry (see the second photo).  He used the small panel shown in the third photo to inspect the train prior to leaving the station.  The railroad crossing and stop signs (shown along the sidewalk in the first photo), as well as the integration of the sidewalk right in front of the train (which he called a "track") helped Henry incorporate that entire expansive area of the park into his fantasy.  

First, Henry began on the "bus," driving passengers to the adjacent train station (the wheel was in the play structure shown in the first photo).  Henry called, "Get on the bus so I can take you to the train station, right over there (pointing to the pretend train).  Now we are here.  Now I drive the train up.  Now I pull the train up (making the sound "uuuhhh").  (He then ran to a sign on the side of the walkway, see the above photo.)  This says stop, train.  Railroad track!  No, no, train.  The stop sign is for the bus."

As I boarded the train, Henry quickly alerted me that I needed to purchase a ticket.  He firmly stated, "First, you have to buy your ticket from the station."  I replied, "Okay, can you tell me how much the ticket will cost?"  "500.  So, we are going to go over there (pointing to the "station")."  After I gave him a sheet of paper as the money, Henry said, "Now this makes the hole, then this makes the stamp (see the first photo).  He was imitating the conductor on the Metra train, who punched the paper tickets to show the fare had been paid (see ticket on the left).   He finished the transaction by stating, "You are all done" and then walked me back to the train, showing me where to sit. 

"No, this is the engine," he angrily declared, since I should know that I can not sit in the first car of the train with the engineer.  "You can not sit here.  I have to see if it is clear to stop.  Everyone get off.  (Makes the sound, "Ohhh" or the sound of the doors opening.)  The doors open.  You have to get off because the doors opened."

Henry then drove me to the North Pole, asking "Do you want to visit Santa?  I am waiting until the light says green.  I have to see if it is safe to get off.  Doors open.  Get off this train.  Ding, ding.  I rang the bell.  Time to get off (he repeats four times.)  I opened the doors and dinged the bell, and that means time to get off.  This is Wilmette."

In reflection, I was awed by the specific number of details he internalized and included in our exchange, such as the train sounds (e.g. the bells, the noise as it travelling over the tracks) and several of the responsibilities of the conductor (e.g. punching tickets, calling the stop names, telling people to get off at the end of the line, opening the doors).  As part of the Challenge, I am encouraged to take the train and bus to more parks (rather than driving), adding this extra element of fun, adventure, and learning to the experience.

Before going home, we visited the Linden train station. The kids loved looking at the map, the ticket machine, and the several trains stopped at the station.

Interestingly, when I asked Henry on the ride home whether he liked Friends Park or Maple Park better, he promptly responded, "Friends Park.  They have a wheel on the train."  This is a noteworthy observation for all playground designers - think about adding a wheel to the first car of the train.

Now for some of my other favorite aspects of the park:

The bridge that children can both go under or over (photos 1 & 2). 

The hill made of stones for a more challenging climbing experience and adds to the beauty of the park (photo 3).

The addition of trees with lower limbs, allowing children to easily climb them (photo 4).

An area of play equipment (shown to the left) that seemed to be designed for older children.  I appreciated that this space was separated from the tot lot by a large open field (shown in the first photo) and was surrounded by trees, hopefully encouraging preteens and teens to play or at least hang out there.

Lastly, small colorful gardens at the entrances of the park.  The kids and I spent a considerable amount of time there, watching the movements and interactions of the butterflies, bees, and beetles.

Friends Park - Glencoe, IL

A Story of Friendship
"Play flows out of friendship and friendship flows out of play." Vivian Gussin Paley

After two hours of observation this morning, it is quite clear to me that Friends Park is a most appropriate name for this playspace.

First, the park is located in downtown Glencoe.  Most parks that we have visited this summer have been virtually empty.  However, this one was filled with children of all ages, many engaged in collaborative play.  The close proximity to coffee shops, ice cream stores, and the heart of the town, appears to make this an easy, natural destination for families.  I suspect this is a park where many local parents and children can meet new friends and develop these acquaintances into deeper relationships through of regular, spontaneous meetings.

Second, the play equipment is designed so multiple children can participate in an activity at one time.  For example, notice the width of the teeter-tatter (shown in the first photo), allowing several children to ride at once.  Also illustrating this point was a large slide (the yellow structure in the second photo) which at least two children could slide down together.  I also concluded that the design of the equipment may invite multiple types of play.  For example, in addition to physical play, the slide in the middle of the park (again, the yellow structure) has a large wooden staircase (to the left of the slide) which could be bridge, fort, etc.  Rather than just taking turns riding down the slide, as in most parks, the physical design could prompt more creative pretend play scenarios.  

Third, the park invited adult interaction.  During my visit, I noticed parents playing with their children, which is also often rare at playgrounds.  One dad stood on top of the teeter-tatter swaying his kids high into the air.  Other families spent considerable time talking together on the large swing (second photo).  Another group of parents joined in their children's pretend play on the train.  Additionally, for parents who wanted to watch their children and be close in proximity, there was a lot of seating available, both a stone wall surrounding the park (shown in the last photo), as well as benches integrated into each play area.

Last, the entire surface is sand, making the park into an expansive sandbox.  This seemed to foster group creative play in different areas of the playground.  For instance, the children brought sand onto the train and used this during their intricate storyline of baking cakes for passengers riding in the dining car.  Other groups of children were working together, sharing their toys, as they played in the sand.

Now for a quick observation of my own children and how I watched a story of friendship evolve at Friends Park...

My daughter, Jettie (shown in this photo sliding down the fire pole for the first time today!) is a very gregarious person and she loves being with other children, especially girls.  However, being only three, she is just learning how to interact socially, especially with new people.  During our visit, she was excited to spot a little girl about her age, wearing a pink sparkly princess shirt (at this stage, clothes are often the basis of how she determines who she wants to befriend), playing on the caboose of the train.  I was sitting in what the kids were calling the "dining car," or the car in front of the back of the train.  Jettie walked right up to the girl, stood next to her, and looked back at me, asking "Mom, can you ask her what her name is?"  I prompted her to introduce herself to the girl, which she quickly did.  After a few minutes Jettie reported to me, "I said, 'Do you want to be friends and she did not listen."  I explained she may not have heard her and suggested that she ask the question again.  When she repeated her question, the girl replied, "Yes!" 

Then, I tried to model for Jettie how to ask questions that would integrate her into the girl's play (she had a pile of sand on a table with a shovel in her hand).  I inquired, "Can you tell Jettie and me what you are working on?"  The girl told us how she was baking chocolate cakes for the people on the train.  This gave Jettie a clue as to how to enter her play scenario.  Jettie stated, "I am making strawberries and peppermint in my chocolate cake.  Do you want to share with me?"  From there, the two girls were able to continue the scene on their own for a few minutes, until Jettie asked me, "What is her brother's name?"  Again, I encouraged her to ask her new friend the question, which she easily did.  In a few moments, another young girl came into the "dining car."  Henry, my son,  greeted her by saying, "What is your name?"  When Jettie spotted this other girl, she quickly ran to the dining train car and asked, "Do you want to play with us?  I am Jettie.  What is your name?"  Then she brought the new girl to the caboose where the first friend continued to play.  She introduced the two new friends by saying, "This is Mattie.  Mattie, this is Lisa.  I am three years old."  From this starting point, the girls all discovered that they were the same age and quickly began playing together seamlessly.  I was proud to observe that by this second opportunity Jettie had gained both the confidence and social skills to introduce herself and welcome a new friend into the play.  This playground proved to be a rich setting for children to learn basic, vital social skills that will aid them the remainder of their lives.  Again, by the end of our time at this park it seemed no coincidence that the name was "Friends Park."  

One last note...In regards to a neighborhood park, this is my favorite so far during the Challenge.  In my first blog, I spoke of how the majority of playgrounds that I have visited are designed in a rectangular way so the play structure is next to an open field and the perimeter of the space is outlined by trees.  After visiting the Morton Arboretum, I recommended that the trees be an integral part of the design, configured in a way to provide both shade, as well as segment the park, making smaller, more intimate playspaces.  I feel Friends Park is an excellent example of this idea.  The overall shape is not a rectangle, but the outlining grass areas are curved, bringing the large trees into the park area.  The second photo shows how the swings are surrounded by a curved forest of trees, giving shade and the sensation you are swinging into the tall evergreens.  There are also beds of flowers (as shown in the first photo), bringing in color, beauty, and fragrance.  The presence of large trees, flowers, stones, and other natural materials, created an overall feel of a magical, enchanting, welcoming space for play.

Hibbard Road and Skokie Boulevard

This is a quiet, tranquil place, despite being right off of Skokie Boulevard.  My husband, kids, and I spent about two hours at this park this morning.  During our time there, we watched dragonflies, caught minnows, painted, read, and had a snack.  It was a very peaceful and pleasant morning.  I would highly recommend this park to families – it appeared to be quite underutilized as we only saw one gentleman briefly walking his dog through the park.

I want to share with you some of the ways that my children played in this space, as well as some of the thoughtful questions that they asked.

First, Henry began throwing stones from the walking trail into the water.  He noticed, ""Watch all these circles, Dad!  I am making a pile of rocks that we can watch float.  Mom, look it!  There was a big splash!  Let's see if this one makes a big splash."

Next, the kids decided to throw a large stick into the water and watch what happens.

H: "It went way out there!  Look, it made circles.  

J: "You throw it in, I'll watch it."
J: "I got it again (after retrieving it from the water).  This time I will throw it really soft."
H: "I'll watch."

While looking into the water, the kids noticed the fish swimming in the pond.  They asked for a container so they could try to catch, then closely watch a minnow. 

After a little help, Jettie was able to get a fish in a clear jar (which I had with me in our painting supplies).  Jettie decided to make the jar into a comfortable minnow home.  She said, "Mom, I want to give him rocks."  After watching him swim for a while she asked, "Mom, why do fish not get dirty (you may notice from the photos that the pond is surrounded by mud)?  I am going to put him back in the water.  I am going to let him live."

My husband and I then took turns painting with the kids.  Jettie entitled her painting, "Foreign Mountain."  The center photo shows all the paintings we made together.

As Jettie and I explored the 4.6 acre park, my husband and son read books under the tree.

While we were walking around the pond, Jettie and I noticed a large variety of dragonflies.  Jettie was excellent at being a quiet observer, pointing the insects out to me so I could photograph them.  When we were leaving, she found one floating just below the surface of the water (dead).  She called me over to help her get it out, so we could look at it more closely.  During our drive home, the kids speculated what had happened to the dragonfly. Henry said concernedly, "Maybe we could bring him home and his family could come and get him and bring him back to his home.  I think he died when he was looking for food."  Jettie questioned, "Why can't dragonflies swim?  Can they stay in the rain? Henry responded, "No, dragonflies need to go home when it rains." 

Once we were home, we were able to get our magnifying glass and look at the dragonfly more closely.

It is quite powerful to me to reflect on what my children are saying and doing during their visits to parks.  It seems that these first outdoor experiences are helping my children to become observant, inquisitive, empathetic, and fulfilled after spending time in a serene setting.  I greatly appreciate this opportunity to help foster these qualities in my children - thank you, KaBOOM!

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Today we visited the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago (http://www.lpzoo.com/).  The zoo is located next to the Lincoln Park Boat Club on the lagoon.  We were lucky enough to plan our outing on the first day of the Chicago Spirits Regatta.  Before heading into the zoo, we had a picnic and watched the races.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is free and a beautiful, expansive resource for families.  It offers a variety of experiencs, including animal exhibits, a Children's Petting Zoo, a Children's Zoo, and a new Nature Boardwalk.  Below are some images of these spaces.

One of my favorite aspects of the new Nature Boardwalk (http://www.lpzoo.com/ani_houses_nbwalk.php) is the addition of these large rocks to the bridge and scattered along the walking path.  All the children (from ages 2 - 9) in our group gravitated toward them, immediately jumping off and climbing on them.  Most adults used them for seating, as they looked out at the breathtaking cityscape.  I appreciated how this unobtrusive, simple touch provided an extra element of play for children.

My kids had a wonderful time, however as Jettie left she asked, "When are we going to the playground?"   

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Today the kids, their grandparents, and I went to the Crow Island Woods (17 acres) in Winnetka, IL.  The trail entrance is located adjacent to the Crow Island School outdoor play areas, making it easy to have both a nature and playground experience in one visit.   You may recall from my previous post that Jettie asked me last night if she could make a painting of a park.  That gave me the idea to bring our art materials with us so we could paint after walking through the woods.  I thought the setting would be perfect for both getting artistic inspiration, as well as having a relaxing way to end our experience.

First, we went on a short hike through the forest, listening for woodpeckers and other birds, as well as investigating the different flowers and berries we saw along the way.  Afterwards, we played at the playground, spending most of our time on the swings.  Jettie named it the "unicorn swing" because she went so high it felt like she was flying like a unicorn.  

We wound down our visit by painting in an open field next to the entrance of the woods.  I brought brushes, paint, water, two palettes, paper taped to cut cardboard boxes, wipes, and two large sheets.  It seemed like both the kids and their grandparents liked this tranquil, quiet, and creative time.

Here is a photo of the artists and their work.  As soon as I got home, I restocked our painting supplies.  Now they are in the back of the car, all ready for an upcoming outing.

... Continued from.

I appreciated two aspects of the design of the school playgrounds.  First, these play spaces utilized artwork created by students.  It would be wonderful to see more reflections of children and the surrounding community in aspects of neighborhood parks.

  --Mosaics created by children at Willard School

 Signage for the garden created by children at Harper School

A front yard near Harper School filled with different birdhouses.  Integrating funky and unusual art pieces made by community members would bring personality and uniqueness to neighborhood parks.

Secondly, the school parks provided different kinds of play spaces.  For example, adjacent to Harper School’s playground, is a smaller park with gardens, seating around a small tree, and a wooden bridge.  The picket fence and gate give the entrance a very homey feel.  I suspect this quieter and more secret area invites children to do less active, more intimate play.  The utilization of smaller spaces for children to explore provides both children’s privacy and easy adult supervision.  I did not see these types of environments in the neighborhood parks that we visited.

The Harper Garden at Harper School

These ideas that I have reflected upon are not new.  In fact, there is great innovation in playgrounds and other playspaces today.  For example, the new Imagination Playground in New York (as described in the recent New Yorker article, “State of Play” by Rebecca Mead, as well as adventure playgrounds around the world utilize these principles in their designs.  Additionally, I recognize that there are there are several legal, financial, and logistical barriers to implementing playgrounds like I recommend on a widespread, nationwide level.  With that said, I have appreciated an opportunity to watch how my children’s play varies depending on differences in space and design.  I feel very lucky to live in a community that offers children such diverse play environments.    

One last note…After visiting all these places, my daughter wanted to paint her reflections of the week.  Below is her watercolor entitled, “The Park.”  Tomorrow we will bring our paints with us to our destination, allowing us to get inspiration from the outdoors, as well as having a creative way to wind down from our energetic play.

“The Park” By Jettie

KaBOOM staff members, thank you for prompting us to have such an active, adventurous, and play-filled week!  We look forward to what lies ahead in the upcoming days of the Challenge!

By the way, I promise the rest of my entries will not be this long.  With the holiday weekend being over, it will be my goal to write more frequent and shorter posts.

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Where We Have Been This Week

1 water park/pool (Centennial Pool, Wilmette)

1 beach park (Gilson Park, Wilmette)

1 nature preserve + playground (Emily Oaks Nature Center, Skokie)

1 children’s garden + forest preserve (The Morton Arboretum, Lisle)

2 school parks (Harper School, Wilmette & Willard School, Evanston)

1 neighborhood park (Forest Park, Wilmette)

7 Total Playspaces                   

My Reflections

My three-year-old twins and I just finishing our first week participating in the Park-A-Day Challenge.  We all loved our time exploring the seven varying outdoor parks that we visited.  In addition to exercise and enjoying our perfect summer weather, the week also brought new friends (I met a mom who has boy and girl twins 4 days older than mine), time with old ones, and introductions to several different areas of our community.  From a parenting perspective, my children were completely engaged the entire time we were out, so discipline was never an issue.  Likewise, they were quite ready for a nap, so getting them down was quick and struggle-free. 

First off, an idea for other Challengers…I sent a message to my friends, alerting them of my participation in the Challenge and asking them to recommend their favorite Chicagoland parks and playspaces.  Several people generously wrote back, giving me amazing ideas of places to explore.  Additionally, many wanted to join me with their children, introducing us to their favorite play spots.  I found this simple, short email was a great way to get new “must sees” to my growing list of parks, as well as encourage others to get out and play with their families.

Now, a few observations from the week…I feel my children are taking more risks at the park, pushing their bodies to new limits, and using play equipment in different ways.  Today both Henry and Jettie had so much fun lying stomachs down on their swings, pushing themselves high into the air by themselves.  Today I also noticed Jettie hanging onto two parallel handlebars, gripping a metal chain rope with her feet in order to flip herself over and land safely (thankfully) on a platform.  When I commented on her new accomplishments, she replied, “Mom, I am proud of myself, but I am not going to do that again.  I scared myself.”  In the weeks to come, it will be fun to watch as they develop physically, gradually challenging themselves more and more.   Simultaneously, it will be my challenge to allow them freedom to assess risk for themselves, trusting that they know their own limits.   Joan Almon, from the Alliance for Childhood, advises parents, “Rather than asking yourself, ‘How do I make this risk-free?’  Ask, ‘How do I give my child as much risk that my child can handle?”

“Mom, I am proud of myself, but I am not going to do that again.  I scared myself.”

Another noteworthy observation was hearing the kinds of questions that they raised in more nature-based settings (e.g. Morton Arboretum, Emily Oaks Nature Center).  In addition to engaging in pretend play, they also spent a lot of time inquiring about things around them.  For example, during our visit to the Arboretum, they contemplated, “Why is the moon still up in the sky during the day (answer - “the moon wants to see his friend, the sun)?” “How does that windmill work (answers – a button, the wind)?” “Why does my hand look red when I put it down into the water (of the reflective pond in the Fragrance Garden) (answer – blood, the water is red)?”  “Why is the tadpole hiding under that lily pad (answer – he is scared)?”  In these spaces, they also spent considerable time watching minnows, geese, and dragonflies, as well as making dams, pumping water, etc.  

“Why does my hand look red when I put it down into the water?"

The environments of the Arboretum and Nature Center seemed to prompt higher level questioning, scientific thinking, and reflection of how the world works.  Additionally, in the Children’s Garden of the Arboretum, children were given the opportunity to use natural materials to create something new.  Below is a photo of Jettie working with another child to create a dam.  Creating and constructing are rarely design elements of a typical playground, yet present enormous learning benefits for children. 

First photo: Making dams at the Morton Arboretum Children’s Garden

Second photo: Climbing logs at Emily Oaks Nature Center

I believe it would be ideal to see greater integration of natural elements into neighborhood parks.  In my opinion, not only do materials like logs, stones, sand, bricks, and water provide children with open-ended exploration and allow them to change the space, but they also add a magical element to the play.  The aesthetic quality of these materials conveys respect for children, as well as individualizes spaces.  For the most part all of the playgrounds that we visited looked virtually the same – the same primary colors, challenges, layouts, etc.  Adding real rocks, stones, and logs would bring uniqueness, beauty, differing sensory aspects, and boundless potential for creating, imagining, learning, and questioning.  Additionally, integrating the surrounding trees and greenery into the design of the playspace sparks children’s imagination and creativity.  Consider these two climbing opportunities shown below.  To me, the one on the left feels much more risky, adventurous, fantastical, and connected to the natural elements.

First Photo: Morton Arboretum  

Second Photo: Emily Oaks Nature Center

Continued...

• Emily Oaks Nature Center
• Emily Oaks Nature Center

• Morton Arboretum
• Gillson Beach Park
• South Gate Park