Outdoor Living

An Afternoon at Lake Michigan

OUTDOOR LIVING

A kite flies with the lighthouse in the background.

The shoreline and water are great spaces to play.

A fort of driftwood, planks, and sticks is great for imaginative play.

It only takes an hour and a half to drive to several beaches along Lake Michigan. While we’ve been to several beaches near St. Joseph, Michigan, such as Silver Beach and Jean Klock Park, we recently visited Tiscornia Park Beach with friends. We packed our water jug, beach chairs, towels, sand toys, sunscreen, and snacks.

In spring, the water was still cold, meaning limited timew in the water, but there was still so much to explore. Kites came out and were passed between children, holes were dug, water was transported back and forth to moats, and gulls flew over our heads. We watched the birds in the water and should have brought our binoculars for better views.

Nature gave us many play options at the beach— water, sand, driftwood, rocks, and shells.

The smooth, flat stones at the beach were great for stacking, skipping, or making art work. The boys dug a hole big enough to get inside of and get covered up with sand, trying to break free. I love the collaborative effort of nearby children working together to bury the child or to build a sand castle. They take turns in the sand, eventually putting a volleyball in the middle and making their own “trampoline”.

Other children found great sticks, part of a tarp, and wooden planks, building their own fort and spear complete with point. Nearby a small sailboat with plastic bag sail was fashioned out of driftwood. After feeling the wind and watching the kites another child started experimenting with the wind and a towel to make it fly. Some children ventured into the cool water, but most wait until the water warms up this summer. A couple of boys tried fishing off the pier. Other children climbed up and over the sand dunes. Snacks came out. The skies darkened and a few raindrops fell as we headed out to the car. We had another great day at the beach and look forward to many more afternoon trips, full of creativity, wonder, and fun. We hope you enjoy a day at the beach soon as well!

Dr. Carla Gull blogs at www.insideoutsidemichiana. com and podcasts as Loose Parts Nature Play. She is often seen with her four tag-along explorers in the greater Michiana area.