5.27.2008

Kits of Convenience

I was at the store the other day and I saw a S'mores Making Kit, a plastic tube with packaged marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate and roasting sticks that looked sort of like real tree stems, if it weren't for the mass-produced uniformity of them all. Handy, yes. But something about it rubbed me the wrong way.

Kind of like BAF's Fort Kit with ropes and camo blanket. Isn't the fun of a fort in using the random things that are lying around your house and creating your own wonderful sanctuary with them? Are we so paranoid about germs that kids can no longer go hunting for the perfect marshmallow roasting stick around the campsite? Am I freaking out over nothing, or are we squelching our kids' creativity in our efforts to simplify things?

2 comments:

Shar said...

dude, from the parent perspective, the simple, large, non-bulky "fort kit" is the way to go. Then, just fold and go...put away! But I did pine for the old days when my bro and I built a fort out of blankets on Saturday morning and watched cartoons until noon! Such simple fun.

Anonymous said...

"Are we squelching our kids' creativity in our efforts to simplify things?"

Yes, and not just their creativity, their resourcefulness and problem solving skills. Here's hoping the Boy and Girl Scouts don't fade out.