Nature Shananagans

I was watching my son play outside today and was bewildered at first by some of the things he decided were so much fun. Here is a list:

1) Tearing up those small root thingies that look like sticks that connect to the ground on both ends.

2) Walk back and forth on the big roots.

3) Tearing bark off the tree.

4) Picking at the grass.

And as I was wondering why he was finding this stuff so entertaining all of a sudden a flood of memories came back. I remembered tearing up those root thingies. I remembered walking on the big roots. I remembered tearing bark off the tree, then I remember someone getting onto me about how the tree was going to die if I tore too much off. I remember picking grass and making a pile out of it.

For some reason we really love playing with nature as kids. I wonder if there's something to that. Besides my Atari 2600 I really don't remember playing with any particular toy as a kid. But today I did remembered playing with nature, my son reminded me.