One of my favorite memories of my daughter isn't a birthday, a vacation, or even one of the "big" milestones. She was little, still in those years where imagination seemed limitless. She was lying on her stomach on the living room floor with a picture book open in front of her, her knees bent and her feet kicking gently in the air behind her. The windows were open. The birds outside were singing. Our dog was curled up on the couch beside me while I sat nearby with a cup of coffee, simply watching.

Nothing remarkable happened. And yet, I can still picture it perfectly. Looking back, I think those ordinary moments are the ones that quietly become extraordinary.

Long before children can explain their thoughts and feelings with words, they do it through play. It's how they solve problems, practice relationships, build confidence, and make sense of the world around them. One afternoon they're a firefighter. The next they're caring for a sick teddy bear or serving an elaborate pretend dinner. To adults it may look like fun (and it is) but it's also how children learn who they are.

As both a psychologist and a photographer, I've come to believe that play is the real work of childhood. When children stack blocks into impossible towers, they're learning persistence. When they dress up as firefighters, veterinarians, astronauts, or police officers, they're trying on different versions of themselves. They aren't simply pretending, they're practicing. They're experimenting with courage, kindness, responsibility, problem-solving, and imagination.

little girl plays with red-haired doll while sitting on the ground by Erin E Gallagher Photography in Charlottesville, VA

Play is how children make sense of the world around them. It's also one of the purest windows into who they are. Parents often tell me they worry their child won't smile for photos or won't sit still long enough. The truth is, I'm rarely looking for stillness. I'm looking for curiosity. For concentration. For the sparkle that appears when a child forgets a camera is nearby because they're completely immersed in building a train track, stirring pretend soup, or flipping through their favorite picture book.

Those are the moments that tell the real story. They're also the moments we often forget to preserve because they seem so ordinary while we're living them.

That's part of why I'm so excited about my upcoming Play Sessions at Shenanigans. Instead of asking children to perform for the camera, these complimentary 10-minute sessions simply invite them to do what they already love: play. During each session, your child will have the opportunity to explore Shenanigans at their own pace. They might build a tower, page through a favorite book, cook an imaginary meal, care for a baby doll, or climb aboard a pretend fire truck. I'll quietly photograph those moments as they naturally unfold, creating images that reflect your child's unique personality rather than a practiced smile.

Shenanigans is filled with thoughtfully chosen toys designed to encourage imagination, creativity, and exploration. Whether your child is caring for a baby doll, building with blocks, hosting a tea party, or climbing aboard a pretend fire truck, I'll quietly document those genuine moments as they unfold.

There's no pressure to smile. No expectation to pose. Just space for children to be wonderfully, beautifully themselves.

little girl draws on the ground and cement with sidewalk chalk in a photo by Erin E Gallagher Photography

Because one day, you'll look back and realize it wasn't just a toy kitchen. Or a stack of wooden blocks. Or a picture book on the floor with tiny feet waving in the air. It was childhood. And those seemingly ordinary moments were helping shape the person your child was becoming.

If you'd like to preserve a little piece of this season, I'd love to see you at Shenanigans for one of these relaxed play sessions. You'll receive one complimentary digital image, with additional images available if you fall in love with more of the moments we capture together.

Sometimes the simplest afternoons become the memories we carry for the rest of our lives.

Shenanigans Play Sessions will be held on Wednesday, August 5, at Shenanigans Toy Store in Charlottesville. Sessions are complimentary, include one digital image, and are designed to celebrate the imagination, curiosity, and wonder that make childhood so extraordinary.

If this season of life feels like one you never want to forget, I'd love to meet you there.