We built a castle near the rocks,
we built it out of sand.Our fortress was an ice-cream box
with turret, tall and grand.Our men were twigs, our gun were straws
from which we’d sipped at lunch.We had the best of wars…
till someone’s footwent
CRUNCH!
by Joan Walsh Anglund
Esther and William love the beach
I think it is in their genes
David and I love the beach
Both of us always have
And not just the sun drenched gold
Of foreign shores
But the moody beauty
Of our British coastline
The wind
The waves
The salty streams
Hidden treasures
Skimming stones
Collecting shells
We truly do love
To be beside the sea
It is the reason
Our beautiful baby girl
Is now our star of the sea
Why her ashes
Sailed down the river
Over the sea to the sky
Tilda is everywhere
But we always feel closest to her near water
Raindrops and rivers
Oceans and streams
Matilda Mae is everywhere
During our time at Coombe Mill
We always spend lots of time by the sea
Esther and William are off as soon as they hit the sand
William loves running in the wide open spaces
Esther likes to feel the grains between her fingers
Between her toes
William loves to make tracks and trails with his spade
Esther loves making patterns with pebbles and shells
They both love to bury things and find them again
They have great fun burying and digging out Daddy
It is a happy talent to know how to play.
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Esther and William are so lucky
That they have a Daddy and a Granddad
Who adore sand and water play
As soon as they hit the beach
The tools come out and they are busy
Building castles and fortresses
Digging out water ways
Making bridges and dams
Rummaging in rock pools
And hunting in deep dark caves
Clambering and climbing
Over and under and through
Every excursion to the seaside
Is a new adventure
Discovering new ways of playing
With the sea and the sand
We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
by George Bernard Shaw
This holiday Esther and William
Loved using their Crocs as boats
Something I think they will do every time
We now visit the sea
Croc Boats!
If you have not tried it you must
Esther and William learned about floating and sinking
How to make channels and change the direction of the water
We talked about tides
About creatures who live in and near to the sea
There is so much to learn through playing with sand and with water
So much to experience when doing that in a natural setting
Such as beside the sea
Play, incorporating animistic and magical thinking is important because it:
Fosters the healthy, creative and emotional growth of a child;
Forms the best foundation for later intellectual growth;
Provides a way in which children get to know the world and creates possibilities for different ways of responding to it;
Fosters empathy and wonder.”
by Rachel Carson
We adore our time by the sea
Sand on our skin
Wind in our hair
Writing Tilda’s name in the sand
Sending bubble kisses to the sky
It is our place
A place we can be together
Often roaming independently
Creating our own memories
Lost in our own thoughts
Imagining our own worlds
But together
Playing together
Being together
On the sand
By the sea
Family
If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.
by Rachel Carson
What a magical post, I cannot wait to take Tia to the seaside this year when we visit Brighton. We’re also hoping to go to Newquay which will be amazing as she will then experience sand for the first time.
I adore the idea of croc boats 🙂 how clever the twins are. Lovely photos Jennie, Im glad you all had lovely days out x
It looks and felt from where I stand as the best family holiday it could be for the time and circumstance. The beach photos are all beautiful and lovely to see everyone busy and enjoying family time together. I’m so pleased you were based here with us.
Sounds like you had a real family holiday – we love the beach too – that picture of William on the beach is awesome!
Looks like you all had a great time on the beach, a place where you can all feel close to Tilda too. I always feel at peace on the beach and wish we lived closer to one as I am sure we would visit it often.
Not sure if you have ever been before but Tintagel in Cornwall has a great rocky beach with a cave where the sea crashes into-quiet good fun with the kids xx