“At any given moment, no matter where you are, there are hundreds of things around you that are interesting and worth documenting.” – Keri Smith
A few weeks ago, We chanced upon this book “How to Be an Explorer of World: Portable Life Museum” by Keri Smith through Frogologist’s recommendation. The book struck a chord with me as the author highlights how the working adults become increasingly desensitised to their surroundings once they grew up. They lost their childhood curiosity and stopped exploring the world around them. The author thus encourages readers to make a change in their lives and cease looking past things that are right in front of their eyes. Put on the shoes as scientists. Collect various seemingly mundane items. Analyse and see if they can discover any similarities or patterns from there.
Don’t you think that this book is also actually applicable for children living in this current era? Computers, handphones, ipads… these technological devices have so successfully invaded into our lifestyles that they now form as a staple in our lives. Kids no longer act like kids. The education curriculum and highly competitive society dictate that children have to focus most of their time on studies, tuitions, or additional extra-curriculum such as swimming or ballet.
Where were the times where children got to interact with their habitats? Where they get to climb trees or catch spiders? Or get into a longkang and shrill happily as the fish they just grasped slip away from their hands? That is why it is important in this increasingly hectic society, farms tucked away in the little rural north-western corner of Singapore still exist. Farms like Hay Dairies Goat Farm, Bollywood Veggies, and JFF (us!) give the city kids a chance to experience nature albeit in a different way.
We love it whenever children come to JFF and participate in our especially tailored workshops for them. The way they widen their eyes in wonder when they see a frog close-up, squeal with excitement when they gather their courage and touch the frog with one finger, or furrow their eyebrows with deep concentration to catch tadpoles… Being able to witness their expressions is our privilege and it heartens us that we are able to see this during our stint in JFF 🙂
(Put on your bandana too and start your journey today!)
So let us all be explorers of the world and start looking things around us with a brand new perspective! It is never too late to start whether you’re a child or an adult.
Signing off,
Rebecca & Shirley
Exploring In Progress
