Art and nature play cultivate new pathways for imagination, which we adults sorely need to address the climate and clean-air challenges ahead.
AUGUST LETTER | Analog Life
Right after school let out, my 11 yo decided to purchase a booklet titled “offline activities” at the local bookstore. It offered prompts for analog fun, like “write a postcard,” “turn the lights off and watch the sun go down,” or “eavesdrop on someone else’s conversation” (his favorite, I suspect).
I was kind of surprised by his choice. The booklet was clearly designed for millennial adults, but there was still something in there that spoke to a tween immersed in digital environments.
Now, let’s be real: my kid has spent his fair share of summer break messaging friends and noodling around on the ipad… But I also think that many of us, kids and adults alike, are feeling the drag of lives spent onscreen. We’re hungry for tangible, IRL experiences, both for ourselves and our families.
So, what does embracing more analog activities have to do with climate action? Art and nature play cultivate new pathways for imagination, which we adults sorely need to address the climate and clean-air challenges ahead. And gathering in small, low-stakes ways builds muscle for the community connection and organizing savvy that can lead to bigger change…
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BONUS: 12 OFFLINE THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS THIS MONTH
No RSVP, no cost.
Outside (go early/late)
- Walk a creek and turn over rocks. (Here’s a list of family friendly hikes from Do512 Family.)
- Cloud-watching on a blanket at 8pm, when it finally cools off.
- Chalk the driveway with a message for the neighbors.
- Pick up ten pieces of trash on your regular walk, count them out loud.
Inside (it’s August in Texas, y’all)
5. Play “I spy” while browsing a second-hand shop.
6. Library scavenger hunt: find a book older than you are.
7. Write a postcard to a grandparent.
8. Make a family scrapbook or a cookbook of favorite recipes.
Two-birds errands
9. Drop your plastic bags in the H-E-B film bin on your next grocery run — let your kid carry them in.
10. Swap outgrown school clothes at Once Upon A Child instead of buying new.
11. Grab free art supplies at Austin Creative Reuse before the school list arrives.
12. Turn the lights off and watch the sun go down. That one’s straight from the booklet.