Puddles of Fun

This afternoon, I took the kids to the park. The sun was shining and, even though it was early spring, it was a particularly warm day. The only trace of yesterday’s thunderstorm was a giant puddle of muddy water at the far corner of the park.

My children were bursting with energy. They were thrilled to be outdoors without their hats, scarves, and coats. I settled onto a park bench, savoring the scene as my kids chased each other up the ladders and down the slides.

After a few minutes, my two-year-old son spotted the huge puddle and started walking in its direction. Images of wet, muddy shoes and sneezing, runny noses sprang to mind, none of which were on my agenda for the evening. I ran and caught him just before he reached the water, turning him around, and redirecting him toward the playground.

A short while later, four older neighborhood children came to the park and discovered the puddle — and its inherent potential for messy fun. They began to throw large rocks into the water, laughing hysterically as each one triggered a muddy spray. Their hands were quickly immersed in the murky water, followed by their feet.