Simply Sacred Play

Each morning my girls get up and begin their daily play. Realizing how important creative play is, over the years we have provided open-ended toys and natural items (shells, acorns, tree blocks) to enhance their stories. My twins are 7 1/2 now and the other morning I sat in my office and listened to their play. I was amazed. The ideas  and items they used to mold into what was needed for their game were incredible. I hear vocabulary words that far surpass what an average 7 yr old says (I especially love it when I hear a word from a book we just read). Their play is divided into "chapters" with interesting titles like "The magic snake finds the golden key"

I am currently reading a fantastic book called "Simplicity Parenting" by Kim John Payne. He is a waldorf education counselor and has worked extensively with Waldorf school and parents to "use the power of less to raise calmer, happier, and more secure children" (subtitle of book)

I highly recommend this book and I am only halfway through! After reading the first few chapters, epecially the one on a child's environment, I spent an afternoon with a large trash bags and some boxes whittling down my girls room. It ended up a truly calm room. The girls had so many clothes (my niece is one size up so we get many hand-me-downs) They could never keep their closet even remotely organized. I realized they didn't wear about 80% of the items! I cleared all but a few favorites and was able to consolidate into 1 dresser. This left room to make a "reading nook"-an old beanbag chair with a makeshift slipcover, a pillow,  a few favorite books, crayons, and paper. They love it and are spending time in their room like never before. I just like to peek in, smile and wish I was 7 for a day.