Where do the children play? (to Sonia Mason)

Wonderful photograph. Excellent question and provocative concern. I am saddened to realize how much of the "playing outside" has all but disappeared in the lives of children. With that has gone a lot of creativity, imagination and "make believe".

It is a real interesting social phenomena to see how our society is and will be affected because of this.

Your photography is splendid!

Regards, Todd

This is a beautiful fall capture Jose....and the steps to the tree house certainly are symbolic of the 'imaginative play' young children are capable of if allowed to flourish in an envioronment that is aware and cogniscent of this basci need for child development. We live in a world where 'gaming'..acquiring the latest expensive music devices, cell phones..texting....so many things that can lure them away from their nautral instincts to be creative, invent their own games, disscover the child within, before the 'adult' within begins to surface when they are not fully prepared as they have not acquired the basic developmental steps necessary to take on this role.

A perfect example and a movie I love is "Peter Pan" with Johnny Depp"......he was writing a play that his peeers thought no one would go to see....all about a 'child's' imangination.......as it turned out when his audience experienced the play, they began to see their 'inner child' surfacing'.......We must never 'LOOSE' our 'inner child'.....it is where , to me at least we learn to interact, socialize, acquire skillls that are building blocks necessary before adulthood. My daughter's two young children are in a family situation whrere they do not have the money for these expensive luxuries....so Shauna takes them on long hikes in the woods, along the lakes, chasing butterfllies....The children have come to find these ativities necessary...and almost get 'unbearabe' when they have missed this type of play. Concrete Jungles still need to allow areas where children can be children........they build 'dog runs' don't they???????

Great photo and thankyou for drawing our attention not just to your photo but a MUCH MORE IMPORTANT NECESSITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR YOUNG....who will inherit the WEIGHT of our world in a very short time.....will their shoulders have the "strenghth" to carry such a heavy load. (sorry for going on). One only has to look at your mischievous smile to know that 'your inner child has not disappeared.....)