The Game That Brought the Village Back

"Happy Hippo!"
My youngest shouts as someone waves back from another car.
“Grumpy Gorilla!” my teen chimes in dramatically as the next driver stares straight ahead.

We laugh. We giggle. I grin to myself watching them engage — completely, joyfully — with the world.

It’s a game myself and a cousin of mine made up when we were young, whilst holidaying in Wales with our grandparents:

• 👋 A wave back? That’s a Happy Hippo.
• 😐 No response? Must be a Grumpy Gorilla.
• ✨ Flash of the lights? That’s a Lightning Lizard.
• 📣 A beep? Definitely a Beeping Baboon.

 here’s the real beauty:
People smile back.
Not always. But enough.
And when they do — when the wave comes, the lights flash, or a friendly beep surprises us — we all fill with laughter and smiles spread across our faces

That laughter? It’s contagious. Not just for the kids, but for me too.
It shifts the tone of the day.
It turns a routine walk into a little ceremony of joy.

The Power of Play and Connection

As parents, we talk about “quality time.” We search for the perfect moments to connect, forgetting that they often hide in the ordinary.

A simple game.
A shared giggle.
An unexpected wave from a stranger.

These are the things that build real connection with our children — rooted in presence, not perfection.

And beyond that?
These small moments reconnect us with our village — the society we often feel separated from in our busy, isolated lives.

Every time a stranger smiles back, waves, or beeps, we’re reminded:
We’re not alone.
We’re all just humans trying to make it through the day — and a shared smile can go further than we think.

When Did You Last Really Smile?

Not the polite smile.
Not the forced “customer service” grin.
But a real smile — the kind that lifts your cheeks, crinkles your eyes, and catches you by surprise.

How often do those happen in your workday?
In your child’s school day?

Let’s make more space for them.
For joy.
For play.
For connection.

Because whether it’s through a silly game as you walk on by or a passing wave — we’re raising humans, not just kids. And it takes a village.

Let’s be part of that village — one smile at a time. 💛