Family Life Articles - Simple Walking Sticks

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Simple Walking Sticks
By Michell Muldoon, www.funplaydates.com

More and more children today sit home and amuse themselves on the computer or by watching TV. They I-M (Instant Message) each other in an attempt to create a virtual kind of 21st century "Our-Gang" but, in reality, too many kids live a life that is filled with social isolation.

This has happened most significantly over the past ten to twelve years, so we are still in a time period where the fresh outdoor memories of our own collective childhood years are very much alive in our hearts.

Today's children have a very different kind of childhood. They are driven to achieve; they are going at unbelievable speeds through the day, running from one activity to another and never quite finding the time to just enjoy the simple pleasures that really mean so much. What a sad way we push our children. It is almost as if we are saying to them, "nothing matters but success and material wealth."

Taking the time to do a simple activity is a wonderful way to find a few precious moments to be with your children and to really enjoy an afternoon together.

Here is a time-tested and beautiful craft to make and use right away.

Find a stick that is long enough to comfortably walk with. Have a bunch of acrylic paints set out with leaves, bark, feathers, string, sea-shells or any kind of natural materials that you can use to decorate your stick. Lay out some newspapers and let the kids paint their own sticks. You will be amazed at the wonderful ideas that the children will come up with. Once the sticks are dry, give them a test run, go for a walk and savor the charming company. This is also a fun way to include another family in taking a walk with you. The time the kids spend while painting gives everyone a chance to enjoy some conversation and to see how each person does things a little bit differently.

As a side benefit, not only are the kids more willing to walk, but the walking sticks are usually very attractive. Place them on display, so that everyone can enjoy the range of style and skill.

For more information, please visit www.funplaydates.com

Funplaydates.com - Promoting active and creative play for kids. Funplaydates.com is your premier source for initiating creative playdates for your children, including great crafts, invitations, activities and recipes, as well as expert tips on parenting, advice from other moms, and movie reviews from CBS’s Emmy Winning “Mr. Movie”.

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