A trip to the Beach

The Agile Method to Building Sandcastles with your Kids at the Beach

This week we went to a beach on the Long Island Sound. The sun was shining down between big puffy clouds. The temperature was in the low 70s with a slight breeze near the water. It’s early in the season too, so the water was a little on the cold side. All that is to say perfect sandcastle building weather!

Little did you know, building a sandcastle with your kids can actually be a lot like agile software development! So grab your buckets and shovels, and let's dive into the world of sandcastle building, agile style, sprinkled with some dad jokes along the way!

The kids started out trying to make a tower with our big bucket and closer to where we were sitting, further from the water. They learned through that POC (proof of concept) that the bucket was a little big for towers and the sand was not wet enough that far away from the water. We learned that we needed to get closer to the water and needed to use a smaller bucket to build our towers.

The next iteration we started by building a moat closer to water and taking the sand to build up a wall so that water could stay in the moat. Next we picked up a smaller bucket and filled it up with the wetter sand to start to create the towers. Based on the tools we had and where the castle was, the kids made a design decision to make a longer sand castle with moat in the middle instead of a square. It was also easier for them to build that way instead of a traditional square.

• Learning #1: Embrace the Iterative Process

  Just like in agile software development, building a sandcastle is an iterative process. It starts with a basic foundation, and as you progress, you continuously add new features. Each iteration brings improvements and adjustments. In both cases everyone on the team has their own ideas of how to build it and iterate. Remember, it's all about embracing the journey, not just the final castle!

Dad Joke #1: Why was the mollusk nervous? Because it’s hands were always a little clammy!

In order to keep the build on the move, the kids needed to work together to make sure the castle’s towers were being built and the moat stayed operational. One of the kids started building towers and the other one dredged and improved on the moat to allow water to come in, but not flow out.

• Learning #2: Collaboration is Key

  Agile development emphasizes teamwork, and building a sandcastle is no different. Your team needs to actively participate, making decisions together, and dividing tasks. Working together promotes communication, problem-solving, and strengthens team or family bonds. Plus, it's much more enjoyable when everyone contributes.

There were tons of shells around on this beach. The gulls were really eating well. Given the amount of shells around, the kids started to add them as a decoration atop all the towers. It wasn’t what we originally planned for, but they looked great! A few minutes later during our build, the tide changed and water wasn’t coming into the moat. What could we do?

As an emergency patch, we started to bucket the water in, since the tide didn’t move the water too far away. Next we dredged more of the moat towards the water and at the end it was filled again!

• Learning #3: Embrace Flexibility

  In agile development, flexibility is crucial. Similarly, when building a sandcastle, you must adapt to unexpected challenges, like sudden waves or collapsing structures. Embrace these moments as opportunities to learn and improve. Remember, it's not about achieving perfection, but rather adapting to change and having fun along the way!

Dad Joke #2: Why don't oysters donate to charity? Because they are shellfish!

Throughout the process, the kids asked me how it was going and how it was looking. Lucky for us we had three other customers in the form of mama, an auntie (my sister) and their grandpa. Every so often they went back and asked how it was looking. I was also asking them questions on if we needed more towers, were they the right height? Did we need to add anything else to sand castle?

• Learning #4: Continuous Feedback

  In agile, regular feedback is essential for improvement. Likewise, as your kids build their sandcastle, provide positive feedback and suggestions for enhancement. Encourage creativity and make it a collaborative learning experience. Constructive feedback and encouragement will boost their confidence and keep them motivated.

So how did we do?

(Please let us know in the comment section!)