Dexterity
The word dexterity comes to mind, when I think back on the time I spent with our granddaughters this past Wednesday (August 5th).
Stacey and the girls arrived here around 1:00 pm. I fed them lunch – sliced turkey, cheese, applesauce and goldfish crackers. After lunch, we went to the playground…to a new-to-us playground. Actually we went to two new-to-us playgrounds.
It amazes me each week that we go to a playground the improvement I see in each girl’s dexterity. I never had the opportunity to watch children grow, as I never had the pleasure of having children of my own (Stacey is my stepdaughter). I didn’t live near enough to my niece or nephews to afford me the opportunity to watch them grow either. I am very happy to be given this opportunity I have now with my granddaughters to watch them grow.
Our first playground destination was at Island Park in Youngsville. For the first time Harper and June swung in a regular swing, not in a baby swing. The playground had swings low to the ground that were rounded, not flat across. Another first … I saw Harper and June use their hands and legs to go up and down a spiral climber. Their arms are still too short to reach the climber, so I have to carry them from the playground platform to the climber, when they want to climb down from there. In addition to swinging, sliding and climbing the girls had fun playing in the Brokenstraw Creek.
We stopped for a short time at the Hilltop Park playground, also located in Youngsville, on our way back home. The highlight of that playground was a slightly swinging balance beam that the girls enjoyed walking across. After a couple tries, holding onto my hand, June was able to walk across the beam without holding on to anything. Harper gained confidence to walk across the beam without holding my hand. However, she held onto the bars on either side of the beam, as she walked across it. If we return to this playground (or find another playground with a balance beam), I am certain that Harper will walk across it without having to hold onto anything like her sister.
The girls had lots of fun at both playgrounds. Here are three photographs and a short video from our afternoon playground fun.
Harper enjoyed swinging on her stomach.
This video shows Harper swinging and going up and down the spiral climber at the Island Park playground. The video also shows June swinging at the Hilltop Park playground.
Do you see Harper’s pride at being able to go up and down the spiral climber?
At the Island Park, there is a pavilion with a deck
that overlooks the Brokenstraw Creek.
We walked underneath the deck to the creek below.
Harper and June had a good time playing in the creek.
Stacey and I both preferred the Island Park playground. The playground equipment at Island Park was close together. At the Hilltop Park playground the equipment was spread out. The Hilltop Park playground was better suited also to kindergarten and elementary school age children. The Island Park playground was geared for younger children.
The Beauty Around Us 
2 Responses to “Dexterity”
It’s way better watching the grandkids grow and learn than raising your own kids. I enjoy my grands because I can have fun with them and spoil them, don’t have to reprimand them or say “no” I look back to when my kids were small and i feel like i was just the “no” person. It’s wonderful being a grandparent and then you get to become a great grandparent eventually too! It’s a great arrangement, life is good! Have fun.
Wonderful post Linda, what fun for the girls.