Bikes, Scooters or Corporate Take-overs?

Each day, our children have a great opportunity for many forms of play. Lisa and I were discussing how focused their play is, particularly in chunks of time. When we arrived, there was a huge focus on biking, swimming and fishing, that moved into beading, scootering and video-taping/movie-making... yesterday, I became privy to some pretty intricate imagination play...

I noticed it when I was sitting outside, thinking I would get a chance to read my book on a Saturday afternoon... the kids were on the site playing with their friends, Maddy and Ali. It became apparent that this game was not your average, everyday game.... we're talking real life Monopoly-kid style!!! I dumped the book, picked up the camera, a notepad and a pen.

These kids had a bank, land, investors, investments, profits, merging companies, profit-sharing and bankruptcies due to hurricanes! They were owners, workers, buyers and sellers. They were adding, negotiating, working, earning and losing lots of construction paper cash or cheques.

They appeared to earn money from their findings like gold, rocks, gems, acorns and animal skulls. They would then expand and amalgamate their lands through building tunnels and purchasing new properties or companies.

While Willow lies in the sun at the 'pet store' which becomes my store...Madison the banker negotiates her salary with Ali, the Mining business owner. He offers her $100, but she suggests $120 and he agrees. The banker writes the cheques and pays the workers and owners for their goods. She adds a smiley face to the back of the authentic bills. If the money does not have a smiley face on it, it is counterfeit. 

So, Matt is unemployed I think and then I find out that he is one of Ali's top miners. He takes his findings to Ali to assess their worth. Later, Matt quits his job to be a land owner and miner. He's saved his money, added it up and decided waterfront property is a good investment! 

Josh goes into the rainforest to get acorns. He then decides he wants to mine for glass and start a new business. Lucas suggests he should find more acorns to earn $500 to have more money first for his business and properties.  Later, Josh literally loses all his money and asks the banker to re-issue him what fell out of his pocket. The banker does so but says if he finds his other money, he has to bring it back to the bank. 

Ali negotiates with Lucas to merge their companies and share the work and profits 50/50. Lucas tells him he'll need access if they make the deal and he'll need to build a tunnel. Ali agrees and builds a tunnel. Ali has a masterful way of wearing many hats at once in business. He can run a profitable and growing business, assess the value of goods, provide recommendations to the bank, to workers and partners. He seizes opportunity when he sees it and makes loads of cash by the end of the day! 

By now, the site has markings all over outlining the properties and businesses; money and goods are piled high. The kids literally spent hours playing this game. Their knowledge, skills, imaginations and ability to communicate with one another effectively in this setting was amazing to me. 

I continue to be grateful that this lifestyle allows our kids to have these opportunities for open-ended, unrestricted play; the opportunity to have a childhood; and the opportunity for me to witness their intellectual, emotional and social growth on a daily basis.