Games Kids Play

My kids have five hundred billion toys (a rough estimate), games, countless movies, video games, and various electronic gadgets. They like all this stuff, and I enjoy seeing them have fun with their things. But what really makes my heart sing is being witness to the manifestation of their imaginations. I love to see the games they make up together, I love to see them pretending, and I love to see them creating.

Playing dress up games is a favorite. This can take the form of several different scenarios, but of course anything princess related is s popular choice in our home. If Connor wants to play then there will be some sort of "dangerous" or "evil" element added to the game so that it's not too girly. 

They love to play restaurant. Lucy and Mattie like to make pretend food in their play kitchen and serve it to everyone, sometimes wearing aprons. Bethany likes to make menus and take orders, and to actually cook real food. Connor generally prefers to be the customer in this game. 

The kids also like playing school together, building forts, chasing each other in various games of espionage and to put on silly performances. Sometimes they will get in costume and dance, sing, or just act silly. Bethany likes to take it a step further and write scripts to act out, and then video record it.

One of my favorite things that they like to do is create books. They tape or glue paper together, make up stories, and draw pictures to go along with the stories. Connor's creations usually take the form of a comic book. Bethany prefers to do most of her writing online, on one of the blogs she keeps. She also enjoys writing scary stories, but she has taken to typing them on the computer.

Watching and listening to my kids play; with each other, with their friends, and even by themselves, is a wonderful joy in my life. If only they could grasp that they'll be all grown up before they know it, and to fully embrace each moment of their childhoods while they can. Although maybe kids do that automatically, and it's just adults who have a hard time living in the moment.

What kind of made up games do your kids love to play?