Back in the Day!

Were you an active kiddo? Chances are if you are over the age of 35, you came from generations that were told to “go play outside” on the regular. Some kids weren’t even expected home until the street lights came on. Those days may be long gone, but your fun memories are right there when you call them forth. What was your favorite form of play? Dodgeball? Tag? Riding your bike? Skateboarding? Jumping rope? Or just good old play-until-you drop on a playground?

Just because you are a grown-up doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the activities you loved as a kid. There isn’t any activity that is off limits, and engaging in childhood favorite activities can be more than nostalgic. It can actually improve your health – both physical and mental. Calling forth great memories and engaging in activities that have special meaning can cure fatigue and burnout.

I remember drinking off of water hoses and going from yard to yard, to the neighborhood parks and gathering places all day on the weekends and on breaks from school. We seldom played inside–usually only in inclement weather. Growing up in Oklahoma that was usually just tornadoes or lots of snow. Even in those times, we had games we would play until it was too bad!

Old School with a New School Twist

It’s fairly common for some organized activities to be available as an adult. Softball leagues, bowling teams, and pickup basketball all come to mind. What about other activities from days gone by? There are some old favorites that are making a comeback in organized activities:

Professional tag/frisbee

Professional tag is seriously a thing. World Chase Tag is an organized group that competes in arenas in obstacle course settings and is making an old favorite new again. I am also adding here pro frisbee-style games like Ultimate Frisbee and Disc Golf! These are modern recreational and professional takes on old school frisbee, which has never gone out of style!

Parkour and free running

With the international craze of competitions like Ninja Warrior, free running and parkour has grown in popularity. Parkour is the art of using obstacles to move over, under, across, and through. Free running is included in parkour, but it adds elements of twisting, flipping, and turning along the way. While training or instruction can be beneficial to avoid injury, it may not be necessary.

Martial Arts tricking

“Tricking” is using elements of martial arts in open spaces to flip, kick, jump, and tumble. As a child, you may have participated in martial arts and earned colored belts that indicated your achievement. Tricking is a modern way to play at martial arts.

Roller Skating and Derby

Roller skating in and of itself is still going strong! There are family and adult only classes and leagues where I live and even travel. There is no shortage of skate influencers to follow for mini lessons or trick and skill ideas either! Roller skating takes on a new meaning when combined with tough attitudes and crazy monikers. Roller derby clubs are available for men and women and can be fiercely competitive.

No matter what activity you enjoyed as a kid, you can easily pick it back up as an adult and regain the sense of freedom and fitness you once had. Spend some time thinking about the ways you enjoyed play as a kid and try some of the activities out. A quick Google search will tell you if there is an organized version of your favorite activity near you. If not, consider starting one yourself and see who shares your enthusiasm.

Hope you spark some joy and fun with some of your childhood favorites! Enjoy the summer!

Please share, like, and comment if you enjoyed the brief read! I would love to hear about your favorite childhood games and activities!