The pandemic has brought many changes to the way that we live, but while it felt like history in the making and something to collectively pull through during last summer, it’s now a divisive source of frustration. I think a large chunk of that is in no small part due to us not being able to use our outdoor spaces as we did for the first lockdown.
Of course, any conversation about the pandemic should be qualified with the realisation that COVID-19 has destroyed countless lives. A whinge on a blog page about not going out then, is in some ways almost distasteful, but after a year of staying at home I feel it’s at least understandable.
To be honest, I can live without going out all the time. My main fear is that my kids are losing chunks of what I’d describe as a normal childhood.
Family holidays, trips to the beach, pub lunches etc. I’m seeing my kids grow up at an incredible pace, and there’s still so many experiences that I’d like them to have. There’s a certain magic to everything when kids are young, that fades as they approach their teenage years. There’s loads of places that I’d like them to see with wide-eyed wonder, rather than a teenage shrug without looking up from their phones.
Hopefully the vaccination rollout will make this possible in the near future.
Our Garden: The Hero
It’s fair to say that our back garden was the unsung hero during the first lockdown. Never before had we spent so much time in our garden. It catches the sun for about 5 minutes every day, but we still found plenty of opportunity for play. Water fights, paddling pools, nature hunts, football, and the odd picnic were all regular occurrences during the summer months.
I realise now that our humble back garden has created some lovely memories for my kids.
In fact, when I think back to my own childhood, my recollections of playing in the garden are some of the happiest memories I have. I recall my big red Super Slide, learning how to ride a bike, and squirting my dad with a water pistol whilst he was sunbathing.
There’s nothing fancy about our garden. The fence could do with a lick of paint, and I’ve never been able to do those stripes in the lawn, but it’s been the faithful backdrop for loads of sunny day fun. It’s probably time that I tarted it up a bit, ready for next summer. Lockdown or not, I’m sure we’ll be spending much more time in it now.
Not all outdoor toys are created equal. Here’s the definitive list of the best and worst.