So right now we’re in the middle of writing camp (almost, it’s day four of ten) and it’s free writing time, which means time to writ about whatever we want. We have lots of pieces started, and we can go back and flesh them out, or revise them, or begin again. Or… we can ignore them all together and work on something completely different. Something new, perhaps. Maybe a blog post, even? Why yes! Even a blog post.

These kids are hard at work on stories, character sketches, setting descriptions, responses to poems, and stories, stories, stories! They are going to town with their ideas, and it’s a beautiful thing to witness. Two of the three sisters are collaborating on a piece, sister number three is writing near, but not with, her new friend. The teen who we’re not quite sure we’re reaching, is scribbling away, and she doesn’t have her earbuds in! The boys have each staked out their own territories and are hard at work, and the one with the tiny attention span… well, she’s changed spots and decided that she HAS to have her bag of junk with her, but she’s writing too, at least a little.

Writing is hard work, so sometimes we need permission to just play. We did that today too, by writing all over the sidewalk. The kids brainstormed messages before we did it, so they had a plan in mind before they got the chalk in their hands. Once we got to our chosen spot they swarmed. I wish I had a hidden camera to record people’s faces as they read the quotes and words of encouragement our kids wrote. One of my favorites:

Wow. I hadn’t heard that quote before, and I can’t find where it originated, but I sure do like it. Listen to these kids, they have a lot to say.