the mind of a child...

the mind of a child...

as adults we need to try and calibrate our brains to view things through the perception of a child
so often we try to put our understanding of the world on the actions of a child

when sledding we want them to point it straight so that they can go fast and far
but... somehow the kids have just as much fun if they spin around twice and then roll off the sled
yet... parents like me intervene and try to make them understand and appreciate things the way that adults see them
instead of their own natural way to appreciate things

this weekend past I worked a booth at a fair at my two boys' elementary school
it was called DINOSAUR DIG
in short there were two small inflatable kiddie pools filled with sand
hidden in the sand were plastic dinosaurs

each child was giving a small hand sized bucked and equally small shovels and rakes
they were told that they were to dig for dinosaurs
when they found ten dinosaurs they won a prize

each small sand filled pool was only three feet wide and five inches deep in sand filled with maybe fifty or more dinosaurs a piece
there was no time limit or any other constraints
so it was pretty much a gimmie that you got a toy any time you played
in my eyes the game was about as lame as the plastic gumball machine quality toys
but... THE KIDS LOVED IT!

so for two hours I worked the DINOSAUR DIG booth
the kids lined up and gave their tickets and I gave my spiel

"the name of the game is DINOSAUR DIG... with these tools you are to dig for dinosaurs... if you find ten dinosaurs you win a prize... you know what you get if you find four dinosaurs? (pause then scream) NOTHING!"

the children came up... depending on the line, the time, and the child I tried to make things more fun
miscounting and making the kids go back for more dinosaurs
making the kids count themselves
whatever...

the kids had a blast
in an adult's eyes DINOSAUR DIG IS MADE OF DINOSAUR DUNG
but to a child... it is AWESOME!

even if I think Dinosaur Dig SUCKS!
I had a great time
almost as much fun as the kids