When I was growing up the lucky kids had metal swing sets. Remember these? They had metal tubes on each end, propped up in an A-shape, suspending two little plastic swings. It was probably assembled by a frustrated father who cursed the poorly written instructions. What was left was a rickety, squeaky little contraption that began rusting after the first heavy rainfall.

Fast forward to 2011… This weekend my wife and I pulled the trigger and bought a playset for the kids. Had my parents bought me something like this in 1980, I’d have been in heaven. This thing is so much more than a swing set. We’re talking 25 square feet of play area elevated five feet off the ground. The thing’s a fort really, with stairs, a rock wall, roof on top and a slide for making quick get-aways. It’s made of heavy duty pressure-treated lumber with thick bolts holding it together. And best of all, this father will not be assembling it the hot sun. The $100 setup charge will save my neighbors from overhearing what would undoubtedly be many cursing tirades.

I didn't buy this one!

Now before you think I’m tooting my own horn, please consider the fact that I bought one of the cheapest models available. The store we purchased from had playsets costing upwards of ten grand. Keep in mind that these are for home use, not public playgrounds or schools.

I’m not quiet sure when children went from having rickety swing sets in their backyards to these monster forts. Is it a just a sign of the times with higher standards of living, or perhaps a luxury of the affluent suburb?

One thing’s for sure, I never really paid much attention to these until now. It amazes me how many stores carry large selections of outdoor play sets. We shopped a handful of stores, four of which were within a mile of each other. None seem to be hurting for business, even in a slow economy.

I also never noticed how many of my neighbors already have forts in their backyards. There’s probably half a dozen of these within a block of my house. I’m falling behind in keeping up with the Joneses.

We haven’t told the kids about this yet. I’m hoping the setup guy can complete assembly while they are away at vacation bible school or something. I’m curious to see their reaction. Our kids are used to playing on much larger equipment at school, church, the neighborhood playground and public parks. They’re either going to be ecstatic or will call me a cheapskate for buying such a wimpy structure. I just hope no one tries to do a Peter Pan off the top of this bad boy.

As I’m writing this article, metro Atlanta is in the midst of a prolonged winter storm. Schools have been closed for three days and won’t reopen until next week. Parents are going stir crazy trying to keep the kids occupied. I thought I would go off the reservation and venture into dad blogger territory. Here’s a few activities to do with home-bound kids on cold winter days. If you augment these with a good map I think you can create a teachable moment or two.

Postcrossing

Want to break the kids of their addiction to technology? Postcrossing is an international postcard exchange program. Here’s how it works. First you create a profile on the postcrossing.com website. Next, enter a few details about yourself and where you live. Like most things in life, you’ve gotta give before you get. You’ll mail a postcard to a person overseas who’s address was provided by the website. It’s usually best to send a cool postcard from something local. Unfortunately I know of no postcards featuring Alpharetta (a topic for another article) but you can find many for Atlanta and even Roswell. Write a little note about yourself and send it off!

In about a week the recipient will get your card and register it online. That action will put your name in a queue to receive a card. In another week you’ll be surprised by an international postcard in your mailbox!

I like this activity for kids because they have to put pen to paper. Old school, huh? They’ll also meet someone from another part of the world. Perhaps they’ll gain a different perspective than what affluent Alpharetta offers. There’s a geography lesson there as well. You might  purchase a giant world map for the wall and stick push pins all over it.

Keep in mind that you’ll need a supply of postcards and stamps. It costs about a dollar to mail a postcard internationally.

Where’s George

It’s like postcrossing, except there’s no writing or stamps involved. Where’s George is a currency tracking project that’s been around for a long time. Again, you start by making a simple profile on the website. Next you register the bills you have in your pocket by entering their unique serial numbers. You spend the money as you normally would… then wait. If another Where’s George user enters your bill again, you’ll be notified and can track the bill’s geographic journey.

In practicality you should mark your Where’s George bills with a stamp like shown in this picture. The chance of an unmarked bill getting registered on the site is slim to none. I’d suggest obtaining one of these little ink stamps if you’re gonna give currency tracking a try. And again, I’d augment this exercise with maps to visually track the money.

Stay warm!

Photo Credit: Sandro Menzel