Learn

You don’t have to have anybody to play with in order to have your very own good time. In fact, sometimes playing by yourself is more fun and educational, because you can do whatever you want for as long as you want. Here is a pair of ideas that will get you motivated to have a blast on your own.

Obstacle Course

Guess what– you can make your own obstacle course anyplace that has enough space that will allow you to move safely around. You will, of course, need some items to serve as obstacles. Hula hoops, kiddy pools, cardboard boxes, water hoses, traffic cones, bells to ring, picnic tables and lawn chairs– are all great for your course. Anything that you can find that keeps you from running in a straight line will do.

Once you’ve found enough stuff for your course, set it all up so that you can climb through, jump over, crawl under, and run around your obstacles. Make sure that your course is safe enough that no one will get injured. You could time yourself with a stopwatch, or change the items around in order to make it more interesting.

If you have someone else to play with, you could time each other to see who can finish the course the fastest. You could even make two courses out of the same obstacles, and then race through your courses. Meanwhile, you will be developing muscles, honing your hand-eye coordination and learning about your strengths and weaknesses. On top of it all, if you do want some company, the obstacle course is sure to attract friends who would like to give it a try. This is a great idea if you are having a birthday party too!

Nature Walks

Even if you live in the city, nature is waiting for you to take notice! Can you give the names of 5 trees in your neighborhood? Can you name the birds living in those trees? (Pigeons do not count!) And how about all the pretty flowers? Imagine if you could stroll by those blue, puffball flowers that grow near your aunt’s house and say, “Nice Hydrangeas,” out of the side of your mouth. Wouldn’t your aunt be stunned?

By going on a nature walk, you can teach yourself the names of the trees, flowers, birds and insects that live around you. Get to know your surroundings! All you’ll need is a pair of sneakers, some long pants if you live in heavily wooded areas, and a shirt with pockets in it. The pockets will hold your binoculars, a small sketchpad and some crayons. You will look through the binoculars at the birds you see flying in the distance, or the butterfly that you spot but cannot identify. You can then make a sketch of it in your book so that you can later identify your findings.

Since birds migrate, you might notice which birds seem stationed in your locale, and which are just passing through. In the meantime, watching the trees will alert you to the seasonal changes in color, foliage and fruit. When you begin to learn about flowers and plants, you can also look in books to find out how they might have been used as medicine or food to the ancient people of the land.

Keep track of what you find, and notice how your feelings change when you get familiar with the land you live on. Do you feel less lonely knowing that the red cardinal will herald springtime? Do you like knowing what weather to expect when you spot cirrus clouds? Take the time to put what you learn in the classroom into action when you take your nature walk.

Heck, you don’t need the binoculars or the sketchpad if you want to enjoy nature. If you are getting outside and walking about, you will be swinging your arms, taking great big strides and getting your blood circulating. How does that feel to you? Just getting outside can keep you healthy and strong– all of that fresh air and sunshine. So, don’t forget about nature when you are thinking of sports.

Playing on teams is great, but learning about yourself and your environment is another way to enjoy exercise. Experiment with different outdoor activities in different seasons. And above all, HAVE FUN!