Introduction
Catarina was born in 2019, right in the middle of that pandemic mess. While her older sister, Clara, had already been everywhere with us — parks, fairs, birthday parties, markets, restaurants, everything! — for quite some time, Catarina got to know the world in a very different way: through the windows of our apartment. In those days, the rule in São Paulo was: stay indoors.
With two children at home, what could we do?
The TV only talked about sad things. We had already built all possible block towers, drawn on the bedroom walls, and eaten all the popcorn in the pantry. That's when, almost by accident, we started inventing our own games.
We didn't need new toys or apps with English names. All it took was a crazy idea, a door, a bathroom tile, or just the living room sofa. And you know what? Often the best part wasn't even playing — it was inventing the game's name, creating the levels, coming up with rules and challenges!
What started as a way to pass time during isolation became a family tradition. And more than that: it became our project. A father-daughters project. Clara comes up with ideas, Catarina tests the limits of imagination, and I bring the enthusiasm (and my back, when needed!).
Today, when it rains, when someone has a cold, or when we're just too lazy to go out, we check our little list and choose a game for the day. Sometimes, between a cartoon on TV and a card game, we fit in a game that only exists here, in our family.
While Clara and Catarina still find all this fun and agree to play with me, I cherish every second. And now, we've decided to share a bit of these inventions with you. Who knows, maybe these games will come to life in your home too?
Have fun!
Felipe (daddy)
