Jackie Krawczak

Having been involved in a career in the Alpena area community for nearly 20 years there is one pattern of comments that shows up repeatedly that I just cannot make sense of.

What I’m talking about is the perception that there is not enough for young people and children to do in the area.

Not only have I been living and working in this area for almost 20 years, I also grew up in this area, living here until the age of 20 before heading off for college.

The experience I had growing up and the perspective I have about the community do not align with the common perspective that there are limited options for young people.

Sure, there might not be access to the same number and diversity of options as you might find in a bigger city, but there is plenty for children to do. So why is there a disconnect?

I am not certain, but I suspect the solution lies with parents or caregivers and not the community itself.

I do not have children, but I was a child who grew up in Northeast Michigan, and I have spent lots of time with children of all ages, and I really do not understand the complaint that there is very little for young people to do. There is so much to do and experience. Perhaps the parents or grandparents who don’t think there is much available need to do some research or explore a bit.

There are plenty of things to do at home or outside in the community. Some are free and others have related expenses.

The following is not an exhaustive list. Beaches. Rock hunting. Hiking. Exploring one of many different natural areas. Playgrounds. Splash pad. Fishing. Biking. Museums. Children’s plays. Children’s movies. Mini golf. Dinosaurs. Sidewalk chalk. Library. Art classes. Art projects (search online for ideas – there are thousands). Grab a book that helps identify leaves, trees, flowers, birds or something else in nature and explore. Build forts. Join a sport.

Children are creative if we foster that and allow them to be. If we plop them in front of a screen instead of finding something fun and creative for them to do, then yes, we may feel there is very little for them in the community. But that just simply is not true.

When my siblings and I were growing up, I remember my sister and I had what we called, “junk jars.” We would collect bits and pieces of things we found around the yard or inside, like buttons, feathers, or cool rocks, and put them in a jar. Then, when we felt like it, we would get our jars out and, “make stuff.” That meant we simply created whatever masterpiece we wanted with the items in our jars, some paper, glue, string, and whatever else we had.

I also recall hours of fun in buckets of water with empty dish soap bottles we used as squirt bottles.

We often explored the woods and created forts and games with each other and friends. We rolled down hills, sometimes in large cardboard barrels that I am not sure where they came from. We climbed plenty of trees. The older kids sometimes created games for the younger kids. We learned to bake and cook. We read. We looked for frogs and turtles and toads. We found chrysalises and kept an eye on the progress until they turned into beautiful butterflies.

There was so much to do. All the time. It was because our parents allowed us to create and explore freely. They had boundaries but they weren’t so strict that we couldn’t learn on our own. They took us on adventures as well. Camping, an event at a fair, a movie occasionally.

We didn’t need someone else to constantly entertain us.

Before you complain that there is nothing, or very little, for young people to do in your community, take a step back and spend some time thinking about all the things that do exist. Think about ways to encourage creativity and free play. Think about ways to let children interact with each other and learn to solve problems on their own. Think about places in the area you’ve never been and head out for the day. Explore.

It might change your perspective not only on what exists for young people but also your view on what a great place this region is for adults as well.

Jackie Krawczak is president of Jackie Krawczak LLC. Her column runs every three weeks on Thursdays. Follow Jackie on X @jkrawczak.