Rain, rain go way....Let's go out and play anyway!

It has been raining for only a few days but it feels like a week. We had beautiful weather last week and my children were outside playing in the warm sun and enjoying every moment. I could tell they needed some outside time today so I decided we would head out in the drizzle so they could "help" me continue to get the gardens ready for spring planting. So we put on our rain hats, boots and raincoats and headed out. It did not take long for me to lose my helpers due to the discovery that a pile of dirt makes a great slide. Up and down they went on their bottoms and their bellies. Being the adult that I am, I told them to stop because they would ruin their clothes. Then I remembered that kids and mud mix, and mix well, so I let them go ahead with the fun they were having said "to heck" with the muddy clothes. That's what play clothes are for anyway! By the way, if you live near Irvine California, you should check out the Orange County Mud Run and Eco Fest in July. It's a day dedicated to wonderful, ooey, gooey mud and whole point to to get dirty --- really dirty. It is sure to be a few days of fun for the entire family.


Now back to our rainy day activities. Next my kids discovered the puddles collecting in the yard and had a blast getting soaked up to their chests while jumping into them. You may not have thought much about this, but puddles offer a terrific learning experience for children. You can discuss with them how puddles are formed from rain, what happens when you splash in them and what happens to them after it stops raining. You can also find things to toss into puddles and things to float on top. Try finding natural objects around your yard such as stones, leaves, grass, pinecones and flowers. Discuss what happens to each one when you throw them in the puddle. Sort them into piles and ask your children guess what will happen to each item - some float and some sink. We had a great time testing the various objects over and over again. I was amazed by how something so simple kept my kids so mesmerized.

Before long, I realized I had stopped gardening and was joyfully playing with my children. I think an hour passed and before we realized were soaking wet and muddy, but we did not mind. We clamored inside and laughed about how wet we were as we changed out of our wet clothes and into our dry, cozy ones.

I am not sure whether my son or daughter will remember this time we spent together, but I know I will never forget it. That's the thing about spending time in nature. The memories it creates last a lifetime.