Sunday 18 June 2017

Five Little Things : Building at the Beach

Photo Sandccastle Fort

So I'm carrying on this little series of posts about building and children. Today I'd like to share some photos of Maya, Noah and Lotta's recent construction fun at the beach. As you know once the weather gets good round here we spend a lot of time at the beach. Building sandcastles and various other stuff is one of the kids favourite beach activities.

Photo Sandcastle with Moat

Frank and I sometimes get involved, helping find the right rocks or shells, occasionally digging a trench but as the kids have grown they've asked less and less for our input except for the obligatory photo session to record their work for posterity! The older kids constructions have gotten more and more complex and creative. It's easy for me to see how they're applying what they've read in books and seen in films about castle construction and defense. Sometimes they'll explain that to me too - look mum I dug a really deep moat so no one can get across! And also the influence of the standing stones that are found throughout Brittany - the walls and the circular plan of Maya's construction for example.


I love seeing them at work, concentrated and happy, engaged with their task and working through translating the vision in their head into something physical. And of course, I love their pride in their work. 


 
The beach has always been a place of renewal and comfort for me. It is such a joy to see my children finding it to be so too. How, through this building and creativity, they are learning and growing naturally and without artifice.

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