By, Jessica Brown

I remember when I was little I used to have sleepovers with my friend Jennifer (Happy 34th Friendaversarry!). We would stay up for hours trading stickers…not the digital kind..lol

These stickers did not come off once you placed them in your sticker book.

What I remember the most is the games and stories we would make up simply by stuff that we already had. There were no trips to the toy store before a play date.  Also, our mothers did not have crafting and baking ready to go for us. As I watch my own children grow up I am so amazed at their imaginations, but sometimes sad when it has to be forced. However just recently that sentiment has changed. Recently I was teaching a particularly rowdy group of toddlers who had a difficult time settling in for their shavasina (rest time) at the end of class. While this isn’t particularly unusual, it seemed that all my “go to” tricks weren’t really working. Even when I gave them coloring so they had something to focus on it seemed like they were just doing it because that’s what I expected them to do. So I went into my yoga bag of tricks and brought out my little LED tea candles. They did in fact rest for a little bit watching the flickering of the candle. Though after a few seconds one of the little boys took his candle up to the only bare wall in the room and was mesmerized by something. You could tell the others were curious, but thought I would be mad if they went to go see. Staring at me I gestured to them that it was OK to go over as well. What happened next was fascinating! Some were pretending to make “flames” while others discovered they could make shadow puppets. Two of the girls, who are the oldest in the class, were putting on a little puppet show together. Before I knew it we were way over the time for the class to be dismissed. If I didn’t have to pick up my own children from school I probably would have stayed! That day I learned two things. Children still poses that kind of imagination and it still comes from the most interesting of places. As I began to play with them a little myself, it reminded me that we all have that little spark in us. It may not come out as often. However, it is there and it can sometimes come from the most un likeliest of places.