Call it what you will, the indoor park, play land, play place at the mall. You know the place where your kids can play while you rest your weary feet?. We call ours The Runaround Place.
We have been going to the one at our mall since we moved to this area 8 years ago. It is really cool and has a health theme. The run-a-round place works for our family because. . .
1) It's free. You got it fun on a budget. I think all 3 kids now prefer spending time at the children's section of Barnes and Noble. But alas they have all discovered that things can be bought there. Nothing is for sale at The Runaround Place, unless you count the fact that is in a mall. Okay, point taken.
2) It gives our poor home schooled children the opportunity for much neglected socialization. Yes, I am being sarcastic. But the kids always enjoy making friends there.
3) It allows us as parents to watch our kids grow before our eyes. We see the little crawlers and think wow remember when Charlie used to do that?
4) It teaches our kids that places other than home, have rules and they need to be followed. There is a height requirement, a requirement to wear socks and rules about how to place nicely.
5) It teaches our kids that life isn't always fair. Our oldest is now taller than the height requirement and our second oldest is right on the cusp. Yet every time we are there they see bigger kids playing when they should not, or kids playing without socks. This gives child and parents alike an exercise in living out a good example.
I won't give you the runaround, this place works for us. To see what works for others out in Blogtopia go to We Are That Family. Also to participate in my Tony Dungy Book and Bible give-a-way before this Thursday click here.
Next Time: The Civil Rights Game
5 comments:
When we lived in Florida, we took advantage of the local mall play area. This was before Cool Baby was a good walker, so he waddled a couple of steps, had some kids run by him, and waddled back into my arms. Fun. :)
Wow - when my Dave gets his blog going, you two will have to get together! :-)
Cute site. You have a great outlook!
LOVE it Dave...
so true...
letting them play in these spaces is just fantastic for the kis to grow and learn in...
Today was the very FIRST day that Buddy met a NICE kid in a French play ground... (by nice we mean... played with and didn't want to kick his tiny hiney--- they play different in different cultures..
learning play ground etiquite is so important
Aren't those indoor play places super! Here in Texas it really does get too hot for playing at the park in the summer (slides will literally burn the kids' legs); I just wish we had more free indoor options (the few there are get very crowded).
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