Closet Campouts: A Lesson in Creativity, Connection, and Courage
“Is she a good camping buddy?”
While I’m typing, my daughter’s upstairs making some sort of racket. She has this adorable Melissa & Doug camping set, complete with a cloth fire stuffed with cotton. The marshmallows are crafted the same way, only they have holes inside. Sticks with velcro keep the marshmallows in place while “roasting.” My daughter has enjoyed her “camping” set and used it so much that it might qualify for retirement.
“Yes, ma’am!” came my daughter’s reply. “Good thing I have a flashlight in here!”
Of course, it’s not camping if the overhead lights are on. Her camping buddy is one of our dogs she coaxed into the closet. She has a walk-in closet, which transformed into her campsite this fine evening. She doesn’t have siblings, so the dogs will have to do. (She has three options to choose from, so they take turns for torture.)
I learned a few things from her today:
She’s creative. The closet-turned-campsite was straight out of her own head.
She makes connections wherever she goes, even if it’s with a hostage dog.
She’s confident. She knew it’d get dark and came prepared, flashlight in hand.
Kids don’t wait for perfect conditions. They create magic out of closets and flashlight beams. Adults could stand to remember that.