Last weekend was Mother’s Day here in the US and we had a lovely day, with a wonderful lunch followed by a stroll in the sunshine. We found a great little play space near the restaurant, just a small area for kids to run around in between visiting shops with their parents or after a meal.
As we wandered along after leaving the restaurant, the kids spotted something ahead of us; the boys turned to ask if they could go and have a look and led their sister to a little garden.
There were stepping stones and tall metal ‘reeds’ to run between and while the 5yo negotiated the stepping stones, the 7yo and wee girl checked out the sculptures of a turtle and a frog. They were so taken with these and spent ages sitting on them and stroking them.
The frog was a hit; with both the 7yo and wee girl clambering on!
The turtle however was the main attraction…
The 7yo showed it to his little sister, stroking its head and smiling as he watched her do the same. Then it was time to climb on!
The lucky turtle received cuddles and kisses, and the wee girl was very pleased with herself for climbing on unaided :)
The 5yo also had a go, riding the turtle as his sister had done!
For such a small area, with really very little installed, it engaged the kids for a surprisingly long time. While we there other kids joined us; jumping across the stepping stones, weaving through the reeds and playing with the sculptures. A little oasis in a retail park, a great way for the kids to let off some steam during a boring shopping trip :)
And, this is one mum who is glad to have found something to make shopping more acceptable to the kids; I can see some lovely sunny mornings spent wandering around the shops (and drinking tea from the Starbucks that overlooks the garden…) in my future.
I’m linking up with the wonderful Country Kids at Coombe Mill again this week. Click on the badge to see what everyone else has been up to and be inspired to get outside!
Gorgeous photos lovely, and it looks like they had such a great time! x
Thank you Kiran x
Sometimes I think the most successful play areas are the ones with less. Makes for more open ended play. A swing you swing on, but a turtle can be interacted with in so many ways. Lovely imagination. #CountryKids
You are so right Cheryl, you could really see how much more engaged they were x
Now I wish I could will myself there to enjoy that Starbucks with you. Something we don’t have anywhere near Coombe Mill. The little public garden looks like a great find and certainly beats shopping when you are their age. Thank you for sharing your sunny morning on Country Kids
I wish you could Fiona! It was a great find :)
More retail centers and such like should have fun and imaginative areas for kids to let off steam – and give parents like you a welcome break! Love the photos with the turtle!
They should, it was so much better than a ‘standard’ play space, much more engaging x
Someties the smallest places do bring the greatest leasure for children. It’s lovely to find somethig a bit different and unexpected
Absolutely, imagination at play :)
Genius idea, perfect positioning by the sounds of it! How lovely to be able to wander through Boston like this xx
It was great, it was actually an out of town place that I hadn’t been too before and hadn’t expected too much of, so a great find :)
Looks like a fun spot for kids, and it’s so much better than those indoor play areas in malls!
Definitely!
It looks lovely there and I do love that photo of the wee girl cheering herself! x
Thanks Jocelyn, I like that photo too :)
These surprise places are often the best!
They are indeed x
I love that picture of the wee girl so pleased with herself! Bless! Its always nice to stumble across something so child friendly where you weren’t expecting it! X #countrykids
So do I :) And, little finds like these are great x
What a great little play area. The turtle is fantastic. I want one for our garden! #countrykids
Me too!
What a great find, and such a good idea to have something like that close to the shops.
Absolutely, really good idea!
It’s great finding distractions like this in town! I love your little girl on the turtle with the hands in the air…Yay! Hope you had a Happy Mother’s Day x #countrykids
Thank you, she was very pleased with herself :)
It’s amazing how the simple things can amuse kids for hours. Mine are definitely like that too :)
It’s great, you can really see them using their imaginations x
Such a lovely thing to find at a retail park. It does look to have engaged your kids.
It was lovely, great to know it’s there x
Starbucks! That just made me perked up this morning! Lovely photo! Lovely place! Your older kids are always looking after your lil girl! Lovely relationship =) #countrykids
Ha! I do love my Starbucks :) Thank you x
Lovely pictures. I love finding little oasis for the kids while I’m out because to them it’s a whole new adventure :) #countrykids
Absolutely, having something that’s just for them makes any trip out much easier and so much better :)
Great photos, your kids know how to find fun anywhere :)
They really do :)
A great surprise, lovely they engaged with it so much:)
It really was x
Always good to find a way to make shopping more manageable ;) Love that picture of your girl with her hands in the air x
Absolutely :) Thank you!
Rrrrribbit – I bet my two would be entranced by this frog and turtle combo, too! What a great find.
It was great, we’ll be back!
What gorgeous photographs and what happy children! It’s lovely to find an original playground like this, particularly in such a convenient location. It makes shopping so much easier if children have something like that to look forward to and it’s so nice that the equipment was suitable for all ages to use. It’s good to see a play area aimed at sparking the imagination. Wish it was closer to home!
Thank you x It was a great find, it really fired their imaginations :)
Sounds like a wonderful way to spend Mother’s Day! Those sculptures look like great fun.
Thank you, it was a lovely afternoon x
Grace says – what a great day out and I love the photos – looks like they had such a great time together xx #countrykids
They had a lovely time x