Lately I have been spending the warm Sundays over at the Martindale River Café. My wife and I arrive in downtown Martindale about noon. We place a food and beverage orders at the café and then head across the street to a large grass area where we listen to live music. This past week there were about 50 people at the music event. Within the 50 individuals were eight or nine kids from ages approaching one year to eight years. How fitness fits into listening to music and enjoying some food and beverage is observing the crowd that was in attendance last weekend.
The adults were sitting on the grass, on blankets, in lawn chairs, or at the few picnic tables that are available. The adults were eating and drinking the food that the café brought them and listening to the music. Most were visiting with the group that they came with and maybe greeting a friend they knew. The music gig is three hours long. Kids at this young age are not programed to sit still and listen to music for three hours. Take excess of energy, a large grass area, a few dogs, and a few other kids in this young age and their behavior was the exact opposite of the adults.
The exact opposite of sitting and listening to music is to be running. Whether it was playing tag, chasing each other, trying to keep up with dogs on a leash, chasing paper airplanes that their dad made, or just plain running for enjoyment, they were always moving. My wife and I watched to see if we could see any kid walking. The approaching one year old child was about the closest thing to walking, and she was trying to be like the other kids, and was high stepping around the area. Occasionally we thought we saw someone walking, just as they burst into another run. Even when they went back to ask their parents something they ran. Since the area is quite large and people are spaced apart there is adequate space to get rid of excess energy. It was not long before they discovered a large concrete platform against a building. Now you have running and climbing to occupy the time.
