KathrynZJ says: While traveling with my 4 year old we were both pleased to find a HUGE indoor playground. Now he can maneuver himself around those things no problem but I have found myself at the top level of what amounts to a glorified hamster tube more than once either rescuing an article of clothing or The Boy himself. There was a small part of me saddened to find that I no longer had the convenient excuse to be a kid and go up in the playground, but mostly my aging knees and back were quite happy to skip the experience.

Maybe you are better at it than me, but my first-born, responsible demeanor rarely lets up enough for me to do frivolous silly things – like playing on playgrounds – without a good reason. My friend will stand up in a crowded restaurant and serenade me with an operatic rendition of Happy Birthday. My sister is very good at grabbing the joy in the moment. I seem to need a child to bring it out in me and even then… it takes a lot.

Today’s Friday Five celebrates the spontaneous child in all of us… ar at least the one that we admire in someone else:

1) On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being I can’t do this now I am about to jump into a pit of plastic balls at the mini-mall and 1 being I can’t do this now until I can get all of the fonts on my blog to match – where are you?

I’m probably a 2. Although I like to play, I don’t let myself do it near as often as I should. Probably has something to do with having a cat instead of kids. 🙂

2) What is the silliest/most childlike thing you have done as an adult?

I don’t know if it’s the silliest but definitely my favorite: when I was in my house in Kansas City, I loved dressing up on Halloween and handing out candy to the kids. I really wish our condo would do trick or treating. Love, love, love Halloween and getting all dressed up.

3) Any regrets?

Only that Halloween is once a year.

4) What is the silliest thing you have ever seen another adult do on purpose?

Watching a guy friend in college put his long blonde hair in ponytails, put on a dress, and lip synch “The Lonely Goatherd” from The Sound of Music.

5) What is something you wish you did when you had the chance?

Learn how to repel. I’ll probably have another chance, but who knows when?