Why I teach my kids to believe in fairies + Woodland Fairies at Gardner Village

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales.” -Mark Twain 

I grew up with an imaginative childhood. My mom wrote painstakingly tiny notes from the tooth fairy and left them under my pillow. I believed fairies were real, and we spent hours searching for them in the backyard, building little houses for them, knowing they must’ve flitted away just moments before.

I believed in fairies and played pretend until I was at least 12 years old.

While that might seem too old by today’s standards, I’m certain the room I had to imagine and pretend has lent itself to my ability to imagine and create. It’s also formed an irreversible sense of wonder and a yearning to discover that has served me my whole life.

Now, as a mom, I’m able to instill that imagination and wonder in my own children.

When I heard Gardner Village was hosting a woodland fairies exhibit, I knew we had to go.

I checked my daughter out of school (fairies are more important than arithmetic, in my book) and took my son, who is fascinated by all things miniature, and explored the village.

They loved participating the fairy quest, where they found 26 hidden fairies scattered throughout the village.

Finding the fairies and their enchanting villages is free, as is the wishing bridge and the Saturday fairy parades.

Kids can also take a fairy house tour, make their own fairy dust, craft wooden peg fairy dolls, wands, fairy bracelets and learn to make a fairy garden.

Woodland Fairies at Gardner Village goes through June 24th.

Click here for more information.

Happy fairy hunting!