No batteries required

This weekend I drove by a house with a group of about ten teenagers hanging outside. It was a beautiful sunny day and they were sprawled about the driveway. Some were just relaxing while others were busily making elaborate chalk drawings all over the driveway and sidewalk. The scene made me smile. It is not something you see everyday. I was thrilled to see teenagers playing outside and in such a low-tech way.

Sidewalk chalk is one vestige of days gone by. It is still readily available in drug stores, grocery stores and toy stores, and it reasonably priced. It is an open-ended, gender-neutral toy that does not have a microchip or batteries. Not too many of those around any more! Generic varieties of sidewalk chalk are still available, so you can easily steer clear of ridiculous media tie-ins.

I have watched a group of children draw elaborate chalk towns in which to drive their toy cars. The town will have schools, stores, gas stations, art museums, libraries and more. Given time and space (and a few rain-free days in a row) the children will return to their chalk-drawn world day after day, changing and adding as they go. I’ve watched other children write messages, practice their name, draw temporary graffiti art, play hopscotch, and more.

Here’s an idea – bring a bucket of sidewalk chalk to your next family BBQ, play date, or teenage party. See what happens. Maybe folks of all ages will discover their inner child and have good old fashioned fun with no batteries required!