In our July of escapes to places far, near, real and imagined you may have noticed a glaring omission: the beach! As well as the pool, the sprinkler, and all the other watery places we flock to with the little ones in summer.

The subject of water and children is so summery and joyous and full of possibility that we couldn't confine it to just one day among other days. The shore not any old escape -- it's what summer is all about (at least to the preschool crowd). We want to think and write about it and live it all August-long.

So this month we'll be down by the shore with our kids (tough work, but someone's gotta do it). And we hope you'll join us at the shoreline nearest you. It doesn't have to be a silky, sun-kissed sand beach, by the way. (Though good for you if it is!) The shore, we say (and the preschoolers we know seem to agree), is where the sea meets not only sand but also rocks, where lake meets land, pool meets pavement, stream and river meet their banks, and even where a sprinkler or inflatable kiddie pool meets the grass.

"You and Tobias are hopping around in the sprinkler. The sprinkler is a magnificent invention because it exposes raindrops to sunshine. That does occur in nature but it is rare. ... You two are dancing around in your iridescent downpour, whooping and stomping as sane people ought to do when they encounter a thing so miraculous as water."

Here's to many such moments of whooping and stomping and splashing and playing in the miracle that is water this August!