Playground etiquette

Over the weekend we visited two playground parks in two days. Lilli was thrilled to have free range to run, climb, and play. She was a little hesitant at first when a little boy a few months older came to say hello. He was quite the little flirt and since she's such a ham she responded with smiles, waves, and toddler talk.

There weren't too many kids her age around, just a handful with their caretakers following closely behind them. So when she was climbing across one of the play-gyms and found a little girl wearing a flower shirt and stretch pants with a colorful flower print, she was happy to have found a friend. Lilli has recently discovered the relation between pictures of flowers and actual flowers... She pointed at the flowers on her shirt and we responded "Yes, Lilli, flower!" Then she crouched down and started to point at each of the flowers on this shy, little girl's pants. The woman with her smiled awkwardly and I tried to move Lilli away saying something along the lines of "personal space, Lilli... mumble, mumble, sorry..."

After we moved her to another area to distract, she made a beeline back to this little girl's pants at least three more times before the woman escorted the little girl away all together.

This made me realize how there are a set of playground etiquette rules that I was not aware of until that day. The problem I have is how do you explain to a 13 month old that it's inappropriate to touch another kid's colorful pants, when we encourage her to identify everything else in her world? I resorted to distraction, big words she doesn't understand, and profusely apologizing.

Since I am generally socially awkward, this is going to be quite the learning experience for both of us.

"Indie Song of the Entry"

What's Your Problem by The Zutons