Welcome back to Dan’s photo challenge. This week’s prompt continues a series related to the thought of inventions and gizmos. You can check out Dan’s photos at the weekly prompt post here.

This week’s theme is Tools and Equipment. I do not have a serious hobby populated with tools and equipment so it turns out we’re taking seriously tools for learning and play.

Both kids learned how to wakeboard though our son really embraced the sport. He became an expert in equipment needed to ride across the water while my husband became an expert in creating the perfect conditions. It was pretty cool to watch.

Open playground equipment was a lifesaver back in the day. Most playgrounds had swings, slides, and climbing structures. Finding things to ride like this green goblin (is that a dragon? I think it might be a dragon) and actually having a turn at it made for a special outing.

Watching “Signing Time!” at 18 months.

Learning sign language with our son was an invaluable communication tool. Beyond creating space where he could meet physical needs like hunger or thirst, developing pre-verbal communication came with a whole host of other benefits for all three of us. Seeing a plane fly over the yard was exciting. My son spotting the plane then pointing it out with joy and signing plane as he grinned wildly was a whole different thing. It’s connection, it’s communal joy, it’s being fully seen and heard.