I remember when I was a kid and my siblings and I would sit around in the summer watching TV or fighting. Mom would come in and yell, “Go outside and play! It’s too nice to be inside!” Usually, we would find some neighborhood friends to play a game like Kick the Can, soccer, or ride our bikes to the nearby playground or convenience store. We could always find something fun to do back when times were simpler.
We would use our imaginations to come up with our own games and have so much fun that mom would have to ring the bell that hung outside our backdoor so we knew it was time to come home for dinner. Our friends knew what that sound meant too, and it was usually followed by a collective “Awe, darn, see you tomorrow.”
The days of children relying on their imagination and coming up with things on their own to do outside, are gone…sigh. With advances in technology, kids (and adults alike) are too dependent on things to do everything for them, including play.
“Kids are forgetting how to be creative on their own because apps and video games are literally walking them through pre-written sequences that determine their every move.” says V. Sweeney in her blog, “Lady and the Blog.” Very few kids I know of this generation would just go outside and skip rocks in a pond, look for crayfish in the stream behind the house, build a treehouse, or camp outside in the backyard without their parents telling them how. Sweeny continues “It’s a little sad to say this, but we have to teach our children how to play these days. When I was growing up (I sound like my grandfather now…) the kids would go outside and just PLAY.”
“This generation has a lot of expectations placed on them – more than anyone before them. They are expected to be the best, have a plan, excel and get good grades, and generally, know what they want to do with their lives – all at a very early age. A far cry from the 80s!… The truth of the matter is that they need it (play) for their sanity. They need to run around and play tag because that’s what kids are supposed to do.” from Lady and the blog Vera Sweeney
Here are some “Old School” games you can pass down to your kids to get them to put down the electronics and GET OUTSIDE TO PLAY! The best part is they don’t cost anything.
- Tag or TV tag (kids today may relate more to Video game tag or App tag.)
- Freeze Tag
- Red Rover
- Red light, green light
- Kickball
- Dodge Ball (remember that red ball and the unforgettable sound when it hit you?!)
- Run down
- Follow the leader
What were your favorite outdoor games as a kid? Leave me a comment below. Then, go outside and play with your kids!
