IS IT EVER TOO LATE TO LEARN THESE SKILLS?

IS IT EVER TOO LATE TO LEARN THESE SKILLS?

As our world races along, our young children and grandchildren are carried along by forces far different than we experienced as kids. Their world today often centres around technology, computers, iPhones, iPads, video games, Instagram, and social media. None of these elements existed when I was a child. 

My life was enriched and shaped by exposure to a wide array of activities that had no connection to technology. I maintain that the things I learned as a child has held me in good stead over the years. How many of my childhood activities did you experience? Did you ever:

-fish with a bent pin hook on a piece of string and catch minnows

-play by a river where he can throw rocks and set a night fishing line

-make a slingshot from a tree branch Y and learn to use it

-make a hut or cave to share with your friends

-make a snow fort that you can actually play in

-learn how to ride a bike, swim and skate

-play marbles -regular, potsies, big circle and chaseys

-play anti- I- over, frozen tag, and pom pom pull away

-fish from a rowboat on a quiet lake 

-walk along the rails on a railway track

-toboggan and sled down a big hill

-play games like hide and seek, round and round the icebox and run       sheep run

-have a jackknife that you learn to throw into the ground

-fly a kite in a good wind

-learn how to make a whistle from a seed pod or a twig

-shoot a BB gun at paper targets

-play lots of baseball catch and make up games for yourself

-go on hikes and get dirty and muddy

-make a snowman every chance you got ( and snow angels)

-make a smudge pot to keep away the mosquitoes in summer

-learn how to start and build a fire with one match

-eat raw vegetables right out of the garden ( a little dirt is fine)

-plant and maintain your own little garden patch

-gather a pile of dry leaves in the autumn and bury yourself in it

-draw pictures on a frosty window with your fingernail

-make your own bow and arrow

-learn how to clean a fish

-hunt for gophers or rabbits with a snare

-learn how to row a boat and paddle a canoe

-learn the constellations so you can find them on a dark night

-make a periscope with two mirrors

-make a telephone with two cans connected by a piece of string

-learn how to skip rocks on water

-play scrub, hit the bat, 500 and redeemers with a ball and bat

-learn to use a yoyo and have fun with a pea shooter

-play hopscotch, skip a rope and make a clothes pin gun

-have a stamp collection, at least for a little while

-learn how to whistle through your fingers

It’s never too late to teach your young children or grandchildren any of the above. These activities may not be high tech, but I still think that just about any kid would have a lot of fun learning them. What do you think?