Early Impressions

Plastic farm animals are awesome!

Some of my first memories are of setting up elaborate scenes with plastic farm toys. The natural next step was to encourage my children and grandchildren to do the same.

Grandma (my wife) and I found these wooden barn, corrals, and fences at our local favorite Amish store. Golden Delight Bakery will blow you away with the best baked goods you've ever tasted. They also sell these barns and fences, and plastic farm animals.

Amish parents are very selective about what toys are allowed in their homes. Amish children love playing farm. There is something wholesome about this kind of play... instead of robotic super heroes with mega weapons of mass destruction. My grandsons and I spent hours setting up our display and having our human figurines do chores and move animals through shoots and into new lots. 

We had to keep the peace at times because some of the bulls got into fights and some horses kicked each other.

Things were going along smoothly until Isaac (the older of these brothers) noticed a huge storm brewing off in the distance. Leo (younger brother) suggested we get all the livestock inside the big barn for safety.

Our plastic livestock cooperated for the most part and they were quickly rushed inside and jammed together in close quarters as the storm approached.

You can only imagine the chaos of nervous farm animals riding out a storm inside a barn. A little Noah's Arkish. 

This brought back a fun memory of mine. I was at a Farm Progress event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Hundreds if not thousands of Amish folks were at the event. A big storm came up and everyone ran for shelter. People around me were crowding into some tents but I thought they didn't look too secure. I ran for a huge barn about a football field away. The storm broke before I got there and I was soaked when I rushed inside. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness I realized I was the lone English (Non-Amish) person inside a barn packed with Amish men, women, and children. They were all silent and facing the doorway I just ran through. We all stood and watched a fierce wind blast across the fields before us. When the thunder, wind, and rain subsided, they we all ventured out together and friendly conversations resumed. 

I was surprised at the creativity my grandsons showed when they came up with this reenactment of such a realistic and traumatic event. This type of play can help children work through their fears and work out  solutions to lifelike problems.

When the drama ended we decided it was an easy conclusion to our playtime because the animals all belonged inside the big barn for storage anyway. We picked up our fences and put everything away.

My little granddaughter (Ruby) is finding herself nurtured by grandpa in the same way.

 

When the toys are all cleaned up they love to go outside and see the real deal. There is nothing more therapeutic than connecting with a living, breathing, massive draft horse.