Sand Castles 2

As well as concentration (scroll down to yesterday's post) building castles in the sand may involve cooperation. Most of the constructive social skills we value were on display while these kids were building their castle.

Sand Castles 1

As adults we often forget that "play" can be deeply serious and satisfying. It's not only running and jumping and giggling, important though those are. Play may involve deep concentration that is a kind of practice for the most important work we will do later in our lives. One of the most fascinating aspects of beach-watching is to see how often this environment induces this profound level of contemplation and purposeful activity in children.