Want to get the kids outside? Take a swing at backyard games
I was going to write about Major League Baseball, but I'm tired of writing about adult games. I want to write about kids' games.
I don't mean the games kids play during the school year, such as Little League Baseball, 11-on-11 soccer or full-court basketball. No, the games I'm talking about are the ones neighborhood kids play after dinner as the sun sets and the fireflies dance above the lawns.
Don't know any of those games? Here are some.
• Whiffle ball: The plastic ball and bat have let kids play backyard baseball for more than 60 years. The great thing about whiffle ball is that you don't need four bases and lots of players. A pitcher and a batter will do. Just make up rules about what's a hit. A ground ball past the pitcher can be a single. A line drive is a double. Over the fence is a home run.
• Running bases: Get two bases. Don't have real ones? No worries: Pizza boxes work fine. A kid stands at each of the bases throwing a tennis ball back and forth. The other kids are runners who take leads and try to steal bases as the throwers are tossing the ball or when someone bobbles a throw.
If a runner is tagged out, he becomes a thrower, and the kid who tagged him out becomes a runner. That way everyone gets a chance to throw, catch and run.
• Badminton: Another backyard favorite. You can set up a net in almost any yard and start playing. It takes practice to get good at hitting the shuttlecock with the racket, especially when you're on the run. But badminton will improve your hand-eye coordination. That helps in lots of sports, including lacrosse, field hockey and tennis.
• Knockout: Got a hoop at your house or on your street? This wild and crazy basketball game requires two or more players and at least two basketballs.
The players line up at a designated spot, usually about 15 feet from the basket. The first player shoots. If she misses, she grabs her rebound and shoots again. The second player in line can shoot right after the first. If he scores before the first player does, the first player is out of the game.
The players take turns shooting until all the players but one are knocked out.
• Kickball: This game is like baseball, but the "batter" kicks a rubber ball about the size of a soccer ball instead of swinging a bat. Fielders can get outs by throwing the ball to a base or hitting the runner with the ball.
Don't like these games? Then ask your parents or grandparents what summer games they played in the days before cable TV and video games. They'll know some.
Remember, summer won't last forever, so go outside and play!
• Bowen writes the sports opinion column for KidsPost. He is the author of 21 sports books for kids. His latest book, "Out of Bounds," will be published in August.