Anyone who is in contact with young children on a regular basis understands the importance of physical exercise and exertion of energy to help the children focus on other tasks the kids would deem on the lower side of the fun spectrum. So today, my kindergarten class made its way to the playground for our morning recess. Before I unlock the gate, we quickly review the rules and then the kids are free to run and play. As we were finishing this procedure and stepping onto the playground, several of my children call my name excitedly and point to the other side of the play area, saying, "Look! Look!" With their level of excitement, I'm looking for something out of the ordinary- perhaps a monster from the games that they play that has come to life, but perhaps it's something less imaginary and they're pointing to the large black bird that is walking across the field. I finally ask, "What? What is it?" One little boy says, "The leaves! They're everywhere!" It is then that I find this reaction was in response to the leaves from the once-shady oak tree finally falling to the ground, where they have blanketed the grass which is still green from the rainy summer. When they seem satisfied with my reaction, my curious and excited students then set off to engineer the largest leaf pile to jump and play in, leaving me to ponder when in my life this excitement for the simple things, like falling leaves during the autumn season, faded into a distant memory. Whenever this might have happened, whether I outgrew the need to find ways to entertain myself outdoors or my creative genes were adapted for use in other areas, such as lesson plans and children's activities, my kindergarten class is teaching me to appreciate the small things in life. Children have a way of rekindling this fire that burns deep within each of us, but sometimes, like a dying fire on a cold winter night, needs to be fueled and fanned so that it burns brighter and brings warmth to all who are near.
