Last night I read in the Dutch newspaper that Nickelodeon and Nick jr. (two of the biggest Kids tv channels in Holland) will stop broadcasting children’s shows this afternoon to encourage kids to go outdoors. Apparently around 1 million children don’t go outside every day! Thats way too many in my opinion.
Stroll down any residential street these summer days and you’ll find a curious absence — of children. Obviously, kids live in these places, but they no longer seem to play outdoors.
That’s a big switch from back when I was growing up. Your mother practically locked you out of the house, so that she could mop and vacuum undisturbed. Even on the most brutal winter day, my mum dressed my brother and me in snowsuits and scarves and sent us out to savour the Arctic air and play with our similarly exiled friends.
Whatever the weather, we had fun. Across the street, one family had built a playhouse, and the neighbourhood kids used it to fee our imaginations: one day it was the stage for a talent show; the next it became a grand hotel, the next a bunkhouse for cowboys and cowgirls. We formed rival “gangs” and built clubhouses out of planks and tin cans in empty lots. Every so often we conducted bicycle raids, stealing each other’s stash of cookies. We also had non-parentally-approved adventures, going on “expeditions” to snoop on the scarey lady who lived down by the pond. We convinced each other that she was a witch because there was a broomstick sitting outside her door.
Get inspired by these beautiful photo’s taken by Emily Kornya and then Go Outside and Play!
Lorenzo is wearing an outfit by Mum of Six – mumofsix.com
Beatrice wears an outfit by Elisabetta Franchi (from Gimel SPA and Camilla Buzzi) and shoes by Jarret (from Pil Associati)
Agency Moda Moda
Photography by Emily Kornya, children’s fashion photographer who works throughout Europe. She has recently moved back to Europe after completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature, Russian Literature in translation and South Slavic Studies at The University of Toronto.
