Why we love free play
We are two crazy Canucks (Canadians) from a nature-loving family. Our parents, to whom we are forever grateful, encouraged creativity and free play indoors and out.
Curiosity and discovery led to the most incredible experiences. Little did we realize how important the freedom to enjoy unstructured play would be to physical and emotional development.
Usually, where you find one of us, you see the other – like Calvin and Hobbes, Frank and Joe Hardy, Captain Kirk and Spock, Woody and Buzz…you get the idea. As our mom says, we’re joined at the hip.
Myriads of creatures and jumbles of hobbies regularly filled our home. Our favourite vacations were family camping trips filled with free play – no radios, TV, or technology.
Those simple times are the memories we treasure the most. Curiosity and discovery led to the greatest adventures – real or imagined – which helped us build confidence, life skills, and creativity and assisted in our growth into (reasonably) stable adults.
We hope sharing our most treasured memories will inspire other kids and families to have fun and experience the joy and happiness of a playful mind.
The little sister
Hi! I’m Kara. I’m the youngest in my family. I grew up feeling like I was Joe Hardy from the Hardy Boys – the younger (and slightly impetuous) brother to the more responsible Frank (aka – Trista).
My sister likes to call me a Koala – I’m on the quiet side, a dreamer, and am pretty unassuming. Still, I have a little hidden ferocity and a quirky sense of humour.
The most calming sound for me is a paddle gently dipping through the water. The peace from nature is unmatched by anything else in the world. Especially when it’s accompanied by the laughter of those I love being carried across a lake.
I readily admit I have what our family calls: Streak of Geek. This streak basically means enthusiasm about learning and doing cool stuff, particularly if it gets my hands in the dirt or water.
The world (and space!) is filled with awesomeness: Science, art, culture, music, books, gardening, cooking…To quote Slartibartfast (from Douglas Adam’s “Life, the Universe, and Everything”): “I care about lots of things…life, the Universe. Everything, really. Fjords.”
The big sister
Hello, I’m Trista. I’m the stuff between the bread of our sibling sandwich (the middle child). My sister says I’m like an Octopus. I’m content keeping to myself, being curious, and thinking outside the box. If there’s a problem or puzzle to solve, it’s fun to figure it out.
As a kid, you rarely saw me without a bug net and jar – and usually never brought them home empty. I love books – from blacksmithing, James Herriot, thermodynamics to woodworking and crafts……and one of the best things is enjoying such books in my second home: floating in a canoe.
It’s wonderful being a geek to seek out adventure and try new things, hopefully with my camera ready. I enjoy working with my hands – cutting out a scroll saw pattern in wood, sewing a dress, refinishing a canoe or a table, or baking a soufflé. Sometimes, trying new ideas is fun (whether they are a success or a complete disaster!)
As Calvin said: “Wow. Look at the grass stains on my skin. I say, if your knees aren’t green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life.”
our logo
Our elementary school asked for submissions to make a school T-shirt for fun. The logo our dad drew was a hit.
Our logo is based on our dad’s design. It is a dedication to him and our mom, who fought to keep our little school from closing, and to that school that piloted innovative, creative teaching and gave us plenty of crazy recesses full of free play.