Fun Summer Activity: Water Balloons

In the winter everyone loves a good snowball fight - build a fort and stockpile the snowballs and you are set. Kids AND adults can enjoy this fun game - and get some great exercise at the same time. The same idea can be implemented in the summertime too.  If it’s a nice day, just fill balloons with water and have a balloon war! This can be a fun activity for the kids, but why not join in, yourself, as well? Not only will you have fun, spend some family time with the kids, and get some exercise running around, you'll also get to cool off, too.

Water balloons filled with water and ready for use. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But if you don’t like the idea of your kids throwing balloons at each other (or at you), there are other
uses for water balloons that are just as fun.

• Set-up a target and have a competition to see who can hit it the most times.  You can make it a challenge to break the balloon each time or make it harder by setting the rule of hitting the target but not breaking the balloon.
• Play water balloon baseball; replace the baseball with a water-filled balloon.  Of course the person up at bat is going to get wet if they are able to hit the target.  If a child hits the balloon and it doesn’t burst it is considered a strike.  When the balloon is hit and does burst it is an automatic home run.
• A simple game of catch can be fun too.  Trying to catch the balloon without bursting it can be hard – see how long one balloon can be tossed before it breaks.  As you are going to get wet, it is best to play any of these games on a hot day (which I don't think there will be any shortage of this summer).

Clean-up after any game that has involved water balloons is very important.  Small children and pets could pick up the small pieces and choke on them.  You can make picking up the most balloon pieces a game at the end for incentive.  Let the kids know that whoever has the most balloons after they are all cleaned up will get a special surprise. Or, give each a different color of balloon and make it their job to pick up all the balloon pieces that are of their color. This will give them another burst of exercise after the balloon fight has ended.

There are endless fun and creative ways to get some exercise into your day during the summer. Just use your imagination, or if you have kids, or family that has some they'll lend you, ask them what they'd like to do outside, and they'll be sure to have some ideas. We'll also be sharing more of these here throughout the season, so be sure to check back for more fun ways to exercise this summer!

Fun Backyard Activities for Adults

When most of us think of backyard activities, children come to mind.  While children may enjoy being outside, they are not the only individuals who enjoy participating in backyard activities. Many adults use their backyards to relax, but you can also have fun in your backyard with - you guessed it - exercise!

Image via WikipediaIf you are looking for fun backyard activities, your options are usually only limited by your imagination. Fun and active backyard activities for adults can include everything from sports games to swimming, and more.

If you are interested in playing sports games in your backyard, you will have to think about the games that you would be interested in playing. You may also want to examine whether or not you would be playing alone or with someone else. If you are interested in playing a game by yourself, basketball or a singles game of horseshoes may be ideal. In addition to being ideal for singles games, horseshoes and basketball are also great games for multiple players.  Additional multiplayer games may include soccer, football, softball, tennis, badminton, or volleyball.

Image via WikipediaThe above mentioned games are ideal because just about everyone one can participate in them - and they are all great exercise.  Most backyards are able to accompany a number of different backyard sports games.  However, to go swimming, you will have to have a pool.  Even though pools are popular, not everyone has one. If you are unable to have an in-ground or an above-ground pool installed in your backyard, a kiddie pool may be a nice alternative.  While kiddie pools are designed with small children in mind, they are great for wading in hot weather, even for adults (although you won't get the exercise of swimming of course!). 

In addition to enjoying the above mentioned popular backyard activities for adults, you may also want to make up your own.  Whether you create your own unique game or stick to traditional backyard games, it is likely that you will be pleased with your decision to entertain yourself outside.  There are many adults that just enjoy being outside, even if they are not participating in anything particular.

Exercise Equipment for Backyard Fun:
    

Summer Fun - Games with the Kids

Well, the kids are out of school, and looking for fun things to do. Rather than trying to think of ways to send them off somewhere to keep busy, why not embrace their energy as an opportunity to get more exercise, yourself? A great example of a fun type of exercise you can enjoy with your children is running games - these often have the simplest of rules (like tag) that require nothing more than space, imagination, and energy.  These games don’t need any preparation and can be played almost anywhere.

Image by tyfn via FlickrHere are a couple of ideas for the little kids:

Red light, green light is a game where one person is “it” and the rest of the children have to try and sneak up on them.  The child that is “it” stands at least 20 feet away from the other children.  When they are ready to start they turn their back towards the kids and yell green light.  All the kids run towards “it” until he or she turns around and says red light.  Everyone must freeze, if anyone moves they have to go back to the beginning.  The purpose is to reach the person who is it while they have their back turned during green light.  Whoever reaches “it” first gets to play the traffic light in the next round.

Mr. Wolf is a game that is set-up similar to Red light, green light. The child who is “it” is Mr. Wolf.  The rest of the children ask, “What time is it Mr. Wolf?” and then take the appropriate number of steps depending on what time it is.  For instance if Mr. Wolf said it was three o’clock than all the children would take three steps towards him.  This continues until Mr. Wolf decides that it is lunch time.  When the children ask what time it is and Mr. Wolf replies, “It’s lunch time!”  Everyone runs away, and the person Mr. Wolf catches is the new Mr. Wolf.

For older kids, you can also form teams and have fun at a local park where there may be more space than in your backyard.

Image via WikipediaSoccer is always popular and everyone knows the basic rules.  If there are no nets, make some with either rocks, natural posts such as trees or use outdoor toys.  The same idea can apply to football, don’t worry if you don’t have the right kind of ball anyone will do – kids have great imaginations.

Or run just for the sake of running by having a relay race.  You can use sticks as the batons or get more creative.  Have the kids say silly word or a joke as the pass-off instead of physically passing something back and forth.  Or it can be a getting to know you came, each kid has to tell their partner something about themselves for the pass-off.

Remember that while these are kids games, there's no rule that you can't play too! They are GREAT exercise, and also give you an excuse to spend more time outside with your kids this summer - just call it working out - for fun!