Why Play is Important

We take our winter activities pretty seriously around here. When I say ‘we’ I’m referring to my two boys and me. One is 11, the other is nine, and I’m…we’ll that’s not important. I’m still a kid at heart and this year we’ve logged plenty of playtime.

We skied. We sledded, tubed and tobogganed. We shoveled snow, piled snow and pushed each other into the snow. We made snowmen, snow angels, snow forts and snowballs. One day we even made a snowman inside a snow fort just to see if it could be done.

And the snowball fights, don’t forget the snowball fights. My boys and I are undefeated this season, having battered the Borgardts, walloped the Waldowskis and snuffed the Snedekers. We beat the Burninghams as well, but it was a surprise attack, so they said it doesn’t count. Regardless, this year’s Cul-de-sac Cup will be ours. Again.

But they say all good things must come to an end. As I look out the window today, it’s 70 degrees and sunny. The weekend forecast calls for cold and snow, so I know winter’s not quite finished yet, but it won’t be long. This time of year it can change from day to day. Snow on Sunday, sun on Monday.

I’ve got both the snow blower and the lawn mower in the garage, all gassed up and ready to go depending what the weather dictates. For the next few weeks we won’t know if we’ll be pushing snow or cutting grass; but as happens every year, the snow and cold eventually disappear for good and the warm weather remains.

It was a good winter, filled with fun and memories of play that will last forever. Although as fun as it was, we don’t mind that it’s coming to an end. We’ll miss the snow, but know it will be back soon. In the meantime there’s more fun to be had. After all, we take our summer activities pretty seriously around here, too.