Bunchland

Soccer with Dad

Today’s Postcard from Bunchland comes from popofatticus in Georgia.

Dad and kid kicking the ball around

Today’s Postcard from Bunchland comes from Scott Robbin in Chicago.

Soccer time!

Today’s Postcard from Bunchland comes from Flickr user cesarastudillo.

Do you have a Postcard from Bunchland?  Send photos of family fun to meghan@bunchfamily.ca or find us on Flickr.

What we’re reading today:

1. More schools are putting preschoolers in uniforms. Do they eliminate distractions or cut out creativity?

2. Ever get your kids to help you with your work? Check out this touching story about a crazy-busy editor who needs her son’s input on a new book.

3. Did you see that video about 18-month-old Baerke van der Meij with the great soccer ball technique? He’s been offered a contract with Dutch team that his grandfather played on. When reached for comment, Baerke said, “Ball.”

4. A mural legendary children’s author Maurice Sendak painted for a Manhattan family in 1961 has been removed from the house and placed, wall and all, in a Philadelphia museum. Read this interview with him. He’s 82 and sick and reflective.  Read more...

What we’re reading today:

1. New York State officials have deemed kickball, dodgeball, wiffleball and freeze tag “unsafe.” Red rover and capture the flag are also pretty dangerous. (In our experience, red rover seems the most likely of those six to cause injury. Wiffleball? Really?) If a recreational program offers two of these risky activities, they have to register as a summer camp. This means paying a summer camp fee and hiring medical staff. This is bad news for small neighbourhood rec programs.

2. So you can’t play capture the flag… but maybe your kids can join the local quidditch league? The mugglized version of the Hogwarts sport is gaining in popularity. (BTW you’re way more likely to get hurt chasing after the snitch than you are playing freeze tag.)  Read more...