Conjurer of internet magic

Now that I'm a dad (I say that as if it just happened, which it didn't, it has already been 7 and a half years) I've noticed that I play games with my children that my own dad used to play with me.  Two of these games that I recall enjoying were Steamroller and Daddy Porcupine.

The Steamroller game involves the dad laying on the ground and rolling along the floor with whichever child wants to be "crushed" by the steamroller.  Strangely enough (which really isn't all that strange) the boys like this game way more than the girls.  I've tried to do this with two children at once, but that was just a bad idea and involved lots of crying.

Perhaps the strangest game I remember was what my dad called Daddy Porcupine.  I honestly don't know why I liked it so much, since it involved my dad rubbing his beard stubble on my face and pretending he was a porcupine.  But I remember laughing and trying to get away from him, so it must have been fun.  I thought I'd try this one on Sam to see if it had the same results.  Indeed, he enjoys evading my beard stubble as much as I remember trying to get away from my dad's.

I keep thinking about these games and what makes them so fun for a child.  My main conclusion is that it's not as much about what is being played, but the intentional time spent having fun with the child.  I've also realized that it's as much fun to be the dad as it is to be the child.