Loose Parts
Dear Yai Yai,
Every year as the first flowers start to bloom and our cars turn uniformly yellow I survey my back yard. I am considering the usual suspects. Which plants have become invasive? Do I have room for another garden bed? This year, beyond the plans for pruning and tomatoes, there was another idea forming; what will make you the master of your outdoor domain? Â Plastic playhouses and kiddie pools are fun, but when the plastic pool turns into an ocean and leaves of an Elephant-Ear plant become mermaid tails, that is how magic happens.
With this in mind I set out to turn our backyard into a haven for fostering your imagination. On a budget. Really, on a budget is the best way to outfit a yard for a game of astronaut-pirate-princess-fairy. To this end I crowd-sourced my way to the fun.
A friend offered us an arbor, which became the entrance to a secret, enchanted garden.
Another friend offered us tires, which are the walls of a great fort, the seat for a car, and the hiding spot of a hide-and-seek champion.
A few wooden planks turn that car into a bus, and create a lean-to perfect for a pretend camping trip.
Combine those planks with a few bricks and you have an imaginary fire pit and a balance beam.
Add that kiddie pool back in and suddenly you are walking the plank straight into the ocean. There are mermaids waiting.
I recognize and appreciate how lucky we are to have a safe backyard for these adventures, and it is my mission to make the most of it. My wish is that you love being outside as much as I do, and that you learn how much creativity, activity, and passion can rise out of a few loose parts.
Together, we have a kingdom to build. If you need me I will be the drummer in the tin can band next to the rocket ship just south of the lava.
Love,
Mommy
