Stay Active, Stay Young, and Have Fun

When you’re out and around kids, instead of just watching them play, get involved.  Kids just keep moving.  Keep up with them and stay as active as them.  It’ll be fun and very rewarding for you and for them.  

Having an active lifestyle is one of the keys to promoting superior health.  I tell my patients that they must find an exercise they like, or they probably won’t continue it long-term.  Don’t get me wrong, I think traditional work outs are great.  But playing games are really fun… and if the games are active, you get a double bonus!

This past weekend my family had a blast playing a couple of really fun outdoor “kids” games.  These games are so apparently so much fun that the onlookers just can’t resist.  We had no problem gathering more and more players as the games progressed.  I took the leadership and organized several games of “Capture the Flag” and “Kick the Can”.  Both games are classics, and they’re good for kids of all ages and physical abilities. They’re easy to learn and can be played for hours without becoming boring.

How to Play “KICK THE CAN”:

• Equipment – 1 can or plastic bottle partly filled with rocks or dry beans.
• Setup – an outdoor area with lots of places to hide; 1 small base; 1 jail area (usually near or around the base); the can is placed upright in the base; 
• Variation – played at night
• Object – IT tries to capture all players; players try to stay free as long as possible
• One player is designated as IT.
• The other players get ready to hide as one player kicks the can as far as he can. The idea is to give the others a chance to hide.
• IT retrieves the can and returns it to the base as quick as possible.  After setting the can upright in the base, IT can “capture” players by spotting them and running back to the base before the player.  If caught, the player goes to jail. 
• If IT fails and the player kicks it first, then he and all captured players are freed and can hide again.
• While this is happening, other players can risk their own capture to free fellow players by running up to the can and kicking it–before being spotted by IT.

By Gabrielle Goldman (age 6)

How to Play “Capture the Flag”:

• Equipment – Two flags (you can make flags with two sticks and bandanas, you could use two brooms or two plastic bats); orange cones (optional, but help  considerably in marking boundaries)
• Setup – divide into two even teams; have two territories (front and back yards; trails through the woods; etc) with clearly marked boundaries; one jail in each territory
• Variations – hidden flags; using socks filled with flower to strike and capture opponents; at night with flashlights.
• Object – capture the opponents flag and return it to your home territory before your flag gets captured.
• Once you cross into enemy territory, you can be captured and placed in jail.
• Captures are made by grabbing an opponent and yelling something like : “one, two, three, you’re my man, no breaksies”.
• Each flag should be surrounded by a 10-20 foot safety zone that cannot be entered by it’s own team, unless an enemy is within (this prevents a total defensive game)
• Once your own team’s flag is placed, it cannot be moved again by your own team.  If a flag is carried out of the safety zone and then the carrier is captured or the flag is dropped, the flag must be returned to the safety zone. 
• Players can be freed from jail if one of their teammates tags him and yells “freedom”.  Only one prisoner can be freed at a time.

I promise you’re going to love these games.  You may even want to try them with a group of adventurous adults!  You will have a lot of laughs, I guarantee it.  Who knows, it may become a regular family event…

Don’t worry if people (usually adults) are just sitting and watching.  They’re just jealous that they’re not as energetic as you.  Come on, be a kid again!   Stay active, stay young, and have fun!