By Sharon
Playing is one of the best ways of sharing our joy and love of the Earth and our place in the natural world. Our amazing playful selves also know exactly what to do with an abundance of clean, everyday materials like repurposing the cardboard recycling from your local supermarket and combining it with tape, twine, and old fabric. Caine’s Arcade has gone viral because of the simplicity and power of one child playing on his own terms, a stockroom of materials, a supportive parent, and a third party who became the arcade’s major promoter in bringing it to the greater community and beyond.
Imagine you and your friends encountering a field of materials which you could shape any way you wanted… simply by following your whims. What if you encountered such public space in your community and it was completely free to participate?
Close your eyes and feel the deep sense of permission and freedom that comes with getting to do what you want. Imagine how wonderful that must be for a child. They’re free to be messy and to do anything they like. And parents get to say YES! where they might ordinarily be inclined to say No!
Not only is celebrating our Earth an awesome enough reason to play, but we at Pop-Up Adventure Play are also thrilled there will be TWO Pop-Up Adventure Playgrounds happening in celebration of Earth Week 2012 – over the April 28-29th weekend. Bring your kids out to play and join the fun! To see how much fun it can be, check out our picture albums at facebook.com/popupplay.
I. Saturday – April 28, 2012
Austin, TX – Dia del Nino Verde at The Magellan International School (an event supported by Pop-Up Adventure Play)
II. Sunday – April 29, 2012
New Rochelle, NY – Earth Week Family Fun Day at The Castle Gallery (an event co-hosted by Pop-Up Adventure Play).
If you don’t live nearby, make your own “mini pop-up” with friends at the park or in your yard. In 2012, Pop-Up Adventure Play proudly supports communities around the world through our growing network of independent organizers, printed materials, trainings, and workshops. Learn more at www.popupadventureplay.org and be sure to sign-up for our mailing list for your Mini Pop-Up Kit.
Keep an eye out for all the trees, birds, and children that might be tugging at your sleeve, quietly (or loudly)… nudging you to play.
Happy Earth Week Everyone!