Our

Weekly Whimsy

With love,  Angela Schmidt

Not just to get fresh air, but to play!  It calls us to come outside and stretch our limbs, quiet our minds, and awaken our creativity under a sky full of possibility.

Come out to sketching in the sunshine or to dance in your driveway or yard.  A beautiful season’s invitation to let your outdoor time be joyful, curious, with a little bit of whimsy and a lot of fun!

Let’s begin this month with simple, lighthearted ways to add more fun to your spring days.  You don’t need much to do this.  Equip yourself with curiosity and a willingness to enjoy the sunshine like a kid again.

Here are three playful ideas to get started:

1.  Sidewalk Chalk Magic

Take your creativity outside wth some sidewalk chalk magic!  Chalk art isn’t just for hopscotch.  That is fun too, but let’s add to it!

• Draw a cheerful sidewalk gallery of whatever you can dream of.
   
• Write kind messages for neighbors to discover.
   
• Create a hop-through scavenger hunt with chalk-drawn clues and with color prompts.
   

2.  Rainbow Nature Scavenger Hunt

• Go for a nature walk in your backyard, neighborhood or park.  Look for a rainbow of colors all around you!

• Find one natural item of each color in the rainbow, such as a red berry, an orange petal, a yellow leaf, a green blade of grass, a blue sky, an indigo shadow, a violet bloom.

• Take photos or gather tiny pieces to arrange in a rainbow at home.

3.  Backyard Glow Party

As the sun sets, keep the magic going!

• String up fairy lights or grab glow sticks for a twinkly evening.
   
• Create a cozy outdoor nook with pillows and a blanket.
   
• Add soft music, something warm or cool to drink, and relax.  Soak in the peacefulness of the evening.

This week, plan a mini outdoor adventure.  It can be: 

• A chalk art morning with a playlist you love
   
• A backyard picnic with fruit skewers and mint tea
   
• A rainbow scavenger hunt with friends or little ones
   

Choose something light and playful that will bring you joy.  Say yes to the sunshine!

Here is a fun, easy, colorful, delicious recipe idea for your backyard picnic!

Fruit Skewers and Yogurt Dip
 

• Alternate slices of strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, and grapes on skewers.

• Whisk together yogurt with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

• Serve with fresh mint leaves for a refreshing picnic snack.

For your rainbow scavenger hunt:

Have fun and enjoy!

A couple of questions to think and dream about, and maybe even use as journal prompts:

1.  What kind of outdoor play did you love as a child?

2.  How can you bring a little of that same spirit into your spring now?

Make this week be one to play more with no pressure and no checklist.  May this also be a gentle nudge to laugh, explore, and create in the fresh air.

You are wildly creative and gloriously alive!  The great outdoors are calling you, welcoming you and cheering you on!

Come, step outside and play, !

Keep your eyes open as you play!  The rainbow is out there waiting for you to see and enjoy!

May the child in you come out and play with laughter, love, joy, and whimsy!