Today the little guy and I went to the poshest play area I've yet encountered in San Francisco--the Upper Noe Recreation Center. The playground has thick padding on every play surface except the sandbox (not like the tanbark and cement from my childhood) and it also features an indoor tot playspace, open 3 to 4 Mondays and 3 to 5 Tuesdays through Fridays. We missed getting into the indoor area today because it was Monday after 4, but peeking through the window, it looked enticing.
The boy wasn't feeling up to par, however--even on the swings, he was staring into space for much of the time; and he started crying almost immediately when he fell on his side on the spongy surface of the outdoor play area, even though it really wasn't much of a fall. His big thrill was opening and closing the large metal gate--but every time I pulled him away from that activity, he kicked his feet and almost screamed in protest. He'd missed his afternoon nap, for a couple different reasons; but I don't think that explains it entirely. When we got home, his mood rapidly improved, and he was fine again after dinner.
I think there are certain days when we assume the tots need to run around outside, and our assumption is just wrong. It was cold and windy in San Francisco today; my son probably felt like staying at home, moving chairs around and rearranging books on every accessible bookshelf.
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