When our grandchildren were between the ages of four and six, we would take them to Wood Dale Lake. I wanted them to learn about nature's playground. As soon as we entered the parking lot, they noticed a fruit tree with low branches. As soon as they were out of the car, they ran to the tree and started to climb. They enjoyed playing in the tree. Our next move was to the pier. I showed them how to bait their hook. We caught a few bluegills and released them. Our next event was a box lunch, which included a bag of cherries. I asked if they would like to play a game of "who could spit a cherry pit the farthest." We told them, "who knows, when we come back next year, there may be cherry trees growing here." It was a great day -- catching a fish, spitting out those cherry pits, and playing in that tree!
