Street Games

FTLComm - Tisdale - Sunday, September 16, 2001

So often we worry about how the children of this era spend so much time watching television and using computers rather than occupying themselves in creative play. This street just West of main street stands as an example of the improvisational and innovative ability of children to make a play environment for themselves. The whole block from one end to the other has been converted into an enormous game. We all remember the school yard and sidewalk hopscotch layouts but this has taken street play to a whole new level. The retail outlets carry the large street chalk and put such a play weapon in the hands of a creative bunch of kids and this is what happens. The route includes trails from one play site to another with play-marker stone along the way, embellished scenes and the chalk work that probably only its creator can appreciate but all in all what a fabulous project and on such a mammoth scale. Teachers have been thrilled to see almost a renaissance in personal reading with the extra ordinary popularity of "Harry Potter" and with the diffusion of broadcast television children are more and more likely to spend less and less time watching the tube. Children's television itself has become stratified and less universal so that children are distracted by the extreme spectrum of focused entertainment that no longer relies upon popular integrated trends, the result is diffusion and children are likely to seek their fun on their own the way children have always played to learn. Driven by curiousity and challenge its a healthy atmosphere and the wisdom of parents to provide creative toys like street chalk will bring a positive return with creative resourceful children.