My eyes started to glaze over as I looked at the website. Plan your dream vacation. There's always something to do on South Padre Island. As I read the suggested vacation itineraries, my shoulders began to tense. Even when planning a vacation, there is an unconscious push to fill our children's schedules.
How did we get here? Melissa, THE Melissa of Melissa & Doug Toys, wrote...
There was a time, not so long ago, when childhood offered the space and freedom for children to explore their world.
To be curious.
To be creative.
To be bold.
To be bored.
To just . . . be.
After a bit of thought, my husband and I decided to make our adventure to Texas an experiment. Instead of filling our schedule, we chose to slow down and refocus on the stuff childhood ought to be made of -- the chance to be curious, bored, creative ... the opportunity to just be.
What happened next was amazing.
We watched as our girls opened their hearts.
We spent long afternoons together with one focus -- Becoming UnBusy.
Instead of filling our itinerary, we only had one -- yes, just one -- must-do activity on our list: try out this new Beach Memories Sand-Casting Kit.
Inspired by this simple quest, the girls requested family walks at sunrise to find "the best" shells. These quiet walks were my favorite experience on the island.
For days, the girls searched, oohed-and-ahhed at beach finds, and traded treasures. This simple casting kit helped them find beauty in the small details.
The girls were stoked when the time finally came to do the sand-casting. The instructions are pretty simple -- create a ring, place your treasures, add the casting material, and in 20 minutes... Voila!
Beautiful!
As you start to plan your vacation over spring break or your annual summer trip, I urge you to refocus and keep it slow. Never again will we plan a vacation with a jam-packed itinerary. Let your journey revolve around the stuff childhood ought to be made of... moments of wonder.
Happy Travels!
P.S. I love this list of Moments of Wonder Melissa (the Melissa of the toy retailer Melissa & Doug) shared. She writes,
The older I grow, the more I realize that the moments of wonder I have found the most profound are the truly simple ones."
She continues, "They often involve engaging with my environment in a way that brings me a sense of awe. And yet, these moments of wonder are easily overlooked. Once we open our eyes and see the marvels right in front of us, we can develop tremendous appreciation and find immense pleasure in life’s simplest gifts."
As you plan your next holiday or even just make plans for summer break, be sure to intentionally schedule some time to enjoy these simple opportunities for your kiddos.
Let’s Lasso the Moon is proud to be part of the Brand Ambassador program. We worked hard alongside Melissa & Doug to explore fun ways to keep children inquisitive and to promote classic creative play. Click here to read our full sponsorship disclosure.
