Ingredient of a happy childhood ~ sidewalk chalk



"It is never too late to have a happy childhood." ~ Tom Robbins

 Are you soaking in these carefree, fun-filled days of summer?  Isn't there something so reminiscent of childhood about this glorious season?  Barefoot, carefree, popsicles and ice cream, swimming holes, and swingsets...it's a season of endless play, sunkissed and happy :)

And what can be more fun than pulling out a big 'ole bucket of inexpensive sidewalk chalk?  Summer fun needn't be expensive.  I'm all about old-school activities that build creativity, get kids off the couch and outside, and that foster their imaginations. 

After a long day in the office, plopping down on the cement sidewalk with my bucket of chalk along with the little guy and his friends and sketching out scenes of summer just makes my mommy heart happy!

You don't have to be an artist to have fun!  Write out goofy stories, with one person writing and the other doing the corresponding drawings.  Draw an old-fashioned game of hopscotch.   Write out a person's name - one GIANT letter at a time on each slab. Play tic-tac-toe, draw a map, trace your hand and footprints, how about a favorite quote or the lyrics to your favorite song, or draw a family tree!

There's virtually no end to the fun possibilities!  Let your mind wander, scribble away and let your kids get messy!  Grab the garden hose after and hose off those dusty, creative hands.

How adorable for people walking by your home to see your colorful, whimsical sidewalk :)

Have a wee little one that can't do more than scribble?  Draw some easy shapes that they can help color for you!

*Tip: If you're having a summer yard/garage sale, write some of the wares you'll be selling to attract passersby to stop at your house.

Don't have sidewalk chalk?  Do a quick search to find the easy recipe to make your own from plaster of paris and tempera paint!  (I'm SO going to try this!)

Grab some chalk and get outside! 

Each season is all too fleeting. 
Savor each of these moments that life has given us. 
Childhood never comes again,
but it's never too late to enjoy every blessed minute of it!

I'll end on one of my favorite quotes:

......

Walk in the rain, jump in mud puddles, collect rocks, rainbows and roses, smell flowers, blow bubbles, stop along the way, build sandcastles, say hello to everyone, go barefoot, go on adventures, act silly, fly kites, have a merry heart, talk with animals, sing in the shower, read childrens' books, take bubble baths, get new sneakers, hold hands and hug and kiss, dance, laugh and cry for the health of it, wonder and wander around, feel happy and precious and innocent, feel scared, feel sad, feel mad, give up worry and guilt and shame, say yes, say no, say the magic words, ask lots of questions, ride bicycles, draw and paint, see things differently, fall down and get up again, look at the sky, watch the sun rise and sun set, watch clouds and name their shapes, watch the moon and stars come out, trust the universe, stay up late, climb trees, daydream, do nothing and do it very well, learn new stuff, be excited about everything, be a clown, enjoy having a body, listen to music, find out how things work, make up new rules, tell stories, save the world, make friends with the other kids on the block, and do anything else that brings more happiness, celebration, health, love, joy, creativity, pleasure, abundance, grace, self-esteem, courage, balance, spontaneity, passion, beauty, peace, relaxation, communication and life energy to ... all living beings on this planet.
 

~ Bruce Williamson, It's Never Too Late To Have A Happy Childhood