I have always felt the need to fiercely protect childhood and play. Why?

Kids at play epitomize exactly what we as adults all strive toward: living each moment with energy, confidence, fully engaged and capable, fearlessly exploring relationships, working to understand self and others, practicing compassion, problem solving, overcoming fears and developing coping skills.

I believe that all children have the right and are deeply driven to experience self-initiated, freely chosen imaginative play that is structured only by the child.

It’s about freedom and children’s rights:

The freedom to move your body
as it needs to be moved
in the way that you choose.

The freedom to think your thoughts
in quietness and safety
to be able to listen to and act on those thoughts.

The freedom to dream and pretend,
to try on different roles
to choose who and how you will become who you need to be.

The freedom to make sense of the world and find your place in it.

The freedom to listen to your own heart
to hear your own voice
and know that no one can take that away from you
no one has the right to intrude on your true inner self.

If there is limited opportunity for free play, how do you know yourself?

If the rule is always no running, how do you ever learn how far you can go?

If you fill your head up with electronics and everything outside of yourself, when do you develop who you are?

We fiercely protect childhood and play!

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Child-Friendly Language

© Susan Caruso and Sunflower Creative Arts, 2012
Photos © Haidor Truu and Sunflower Creative Arts, 2012