ABSTRACT
As a child, I spent much of my play outdoors interacting with natural materials, especially with my siblings in our sand pit, which was simply a large hole in the ground filled with builder’s sand.We had plans to dig to Australia,or at least to our neighbouring friends’garden;and our dog would enthusiastically help us. I used leaves and stones to make endless meals and I painted all available surfaces with a sloppy mud mixture. I produced rosepetal perfume to sell in tiny bottles, I made patterns with shells, gathered on trips to the seaside and I collected stone and pebble treasure that I thought was attractive or precious. I am convinced that this kind of play contributed to a lifelong love of the natural world and a strong interest in finding out everything about it.As a four year old, my daughter’s summer was fully occupied with making innumerable ‘concoctions’ with substances from the kitchen, such as flour and sugar, and anything she could find in the garden: soil, gravel, leaves, berries, water. She spent long periods of time deeply absorbed in grinding, mixing and decanting. I looked on with delight and marvel at this deeply curious and imaginative child; and the scientist in her was clearly evident. Now, as young adult she has a very enquiring, creative and resourceful approach to life.Again, I’m sure that this play was significant in her development.
