Children are natural artists and playacting is happily incorporated into their daily, unfettered lives. My granddaughter Ada is home-schooled, so all her creative urges are instantaneous.
“Grammy, there are fairy eggs growing in your yard!” This was an exciting discovery a year ago, in the spring. I had been sweeping pounds of soggy black oak leaves into piles in my driveway, collecting them for the compost pile. I looked up to see my 4 year old granddaughter sitting next to the exuberantly uncontrolled ferns growing under the oak. “Look, I’m hatching one.”
She showed me the translucent round object she was tenderly warming under her rear end. There were dozens more surrounding her. “Wow! An entire tribe of fairies must have been through here!”
“Oh yes, Grammy! I’m going to hatch one!”
Ada patiently sat on her fairy egg for another twenty minutes–a remarkable length of time for this child to remain motionless.
“It’s not hatching!” she finally wailed.
“Maybe it takes a lot longer. Or maybe fairy eggs just hatch by themselves, without anyone sitting on them.”
“Okay, Grammy.” And she was off on another adventure.
What I love about spending time with Ada is participating in her live and ongoing theater. She is so generous with her creativity!
Wow, that is completely adorable. I love the way you responded to her, never adding in anything but encouragement.
It is amazing how children will fully create their own worlds. My children often race around the house, being completely different characters in a very different environment. “Bear cars are chasing us!” is a common cry in our car.
Cole will usually create the background information, “Ok, Camille, we’re aliens and we need to…” and off they go. Camille will always follow her big brother’s lead.
Sometimes I have to remind myself to take the time to really listen to what Ada is saying, because 9 times out of 10 it is something extraordinary!
Cole and Camille sound so cute together. Reminds me of long ago, with David and Cedar. There is something so precious about the sibling relationship, especially when it is still developing.