When I first moved to my current home, my neighbors were up in arms because my ten-year-old was out in the creek turning rocks over to find crawfish. Didn't I know that's not safe? Honestly, I wouldn't have expected anything less from her. Many people who grew up as free-range children lament the regimented lifestyles of today's youngsters, because it can result in anxious young adults ill-equipped to navigate the world. But we won't be going back to those days. Back then, there was safety in numbers, and now you can't even find other children except at school and play dates. Kids still need time, freedom, and risk to develop competence and confidence. So what can we do?
One thing we can do is replicate some of the elements of free play and exploration with designed spaces that are less sterile and obvious and more open to imagination. Children want to try things they've never done before, and it helps if they get to figure it out themselves. This TED-Ed lesson looks at some of the factors that go into slightly risky play that helps children develop their own agency. The downside is that these kinds of playgrounds will inevitably cost money to use.
Monday, April 20, 2026
Children Need to Take Risks
Miss Cellania's Links
Winfried Freudenberg: The Berlin Wall's Last Victim.
60 Free Film Noir Movies. (via Memo of the Air)
I won the world’s deepest underground marathon. I tried not to think about the 1,300 metres of solid rock over my head
US military served 'gray object' amid food shortages as morale at 'all-time low.' Yet the Pentagon has lobster. (via Fark)
The World Only Showing Countries Based On Share of Immigrants. The US is way down the list. (via Nag on the Lake)
The Roman emperor Commodus. He was full of himself, and Rome finally had enough.
Neanderthal Babies Were Apparently Built Different and Reached Toddler Size in Only Six Months. (via Damn Interesting)
A particularly controversial UFO account. And how it fell apart. (via Strange Company)
Homemade Drivable TIE Fighter
If you are in Hubbards, Nova Scotia, and see Darth Vader coming toward you, you aren't necessarily hallucinating. Allan Carver built his own TIE fighter that he can drive around the neighborhood! He says it's roughly a third of the size of Vader's vehicle, and doesn't fly, but it tools around at a maximum of six miles per hour. He still wears a helmet while driving -you can guess what kind. The TIE fighter is powered by several wheelchair motors (hence the speed) controlled by a Sabertooth dual-motor driver and a DX8 remote control receiver, so it can go whether he's in it or not. Read more about the TIE fighter at the YouTube page and at Carver's website. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Prom
Kids make a big deal out of prom these days because their parents make a big deal out of it. The traditions are so regimented that they've become cringe, and that will affect how you remember it. Trust me, two years from now, none of it will matter a bit.
Sunday, April 19, 2026
She Holds Me Like This
Is it a love song or a cry for help? You know how cats are- some of them would rather die than admit they are enjoying your company, even when they very much do.
A bangin' song, a black cat, wrestlers, musicians that include a penguin, and unhinged animation make for an earworm. This is Frugit, who is both a musician and a cat. Like any cat, he has days when he thinks the world is against him. See more of Frugit's animations, musical and not, at Instagram.
Backyard Wildlife
A compilation of what happens when human neighborhoods encroach on animals' territory. Don't miss the most ungraceful deer you've ever seen, or the house cat that sounds like a submarine alarm.
The Wheels on the Bus
The first time former president Obama met New York mayor Zohran Mamdani was at the Learning Through Play Pre-K childcare center in the Bronx on Saturday. They had fun with the kids, and the kids had a great time. I would imagine that these preschoolers were told that these are important men, but they only know they were friendly and fun and got down on their level.
Everyone's Upstairs Neighbors
How many times have you thought, "There's no way those people aren't aware of how much noise they're making." How right you are. Not only are they aware, they've turned it into an art form.I once lived downstairs from these guys. (via reddit)
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Talent Show
Now that these boys are high school graduates, they won't mind me sharing what they did back in fifth grade.
Deer Rescued from a Fence
The British organization Wildlife Aid was alerted to a panicked deer who got her hips stuck in a fence. Her thrashing was more dangerous than the fence itself, so she had to be sedated for rescue. You'll be glad to know she's alright.
Written Language Mistakes Unique to America
Despite what you've heard, people who speak British English and those who speak American English can usually understand each other, once you get away from the most extreme accents. However, once social media became a thing, suddenly millions of people who previously communicated only in speech were suddenly typing out their thoughts for the world to see. That's when Laurence Brown, who makes a living comparing Britain and the United States, noticed some writing quirks that appear in American English, but wouldn't happen in Britain.
He's not really picking on Americans, but pointing out that some of these mistakes arise only because of the differences in how Americans use the language, which he explains along the way. There are also writing mistakes common in British English that would never, or rarely, happen in America, and he promises to make a video about those in the future.
