We grow up, get married and have kids of our own – but most of us are still kids at heart, right?
We go through the motions every day, cleaning up after our little ones, cooking meals and general ‘grown-up’ things that keep our families going.
However, every once in a while, we all deserve to reconnect with our inner child, and just let go of adult responsibilities for a bit.
Kitchen Disco anyone!?
We’re talking about good clean fun kind of play.
Remember back when life was simple? And all of those fun games you used to play in your garden, or on your street when you were a child? Well, we reckon bringing them back is the key to adding serious zest to life. The best part? The games we’re talking about are a great way to bond with your own kids, and we can pretty much guarantee they’ll love them as much as you used to (or still do, even).
Just in case you need a little bit of help jogging your memory, we’ve decided to make a little list of our favourite old-school games, which will put a pep in your step, and give you a true zest for life.
Embrace your inner child for a time, you’ll be glad you did.
Piggy Back racing
This is good old-fashioned fun. So much fun that you collapse in a heap laughing along with your child. It is even better fun when you race your partner!
Cooking
There is nothing better than cranking up the radio, strapping on an apron and letting loose in the kitchen with your mini-me. Cooking together is a great way of relaxing and encouraging your child to get involved. You don't have to be chef of the year either, my favourite thing to do is to throw some breaded cod into the oven, bake a few potatoes and serve with a spoon of peas. My daughter actually loves to eat the frozen peas directly from the bag while I am preparing the potatoes! But it is green so I say nothing. Sitting around the table together as a family when you have each played a part in preparing the meal is really special. Bonus is that cod in breadcrumbs is a firm favourite and there is never much clean up. Win-win.
Tip the Can
Some of my most treasured memories are being out on the street playing tip the can with friends, and we think it deserves a comeback! The rules were simple: The ‘can’ (which was usually a car or pillar) is out in the open, and whoever is ‘it’ stands at the can, counting to 20, while the rest of the players run off to hide.
When the counting is finished, ‘it’ goes on the hunt for the players. Every person that gets caught gets sent to ‘jail’, but if someone manages to ‘tip the can’ before being caught, they can free one of their comrades.
Hours of entertainment, fresh air and great exercise – what’s not to love? It's also a great way to teach your children about how to accept losing gracefully and how to feel a great sence of achievement when they win.
Swingball
Such a simple concept: simply a ball on a string, tied to a poll and stuck in the grass, but MY GOD was it good fun. A challenging mix of strategy, tennis and hand-eye co-ordination.
Red Rover
While this game was pretty much banned in schools for having the tendency to get a little rough, it is still on the list for being brilliant fun (and isn’t actually rough by nature, by the way). Players form two lines, linking hands and facing each other, and one team calls a player from the opposing team:
“Red Rover, Red Rover let Jack/ Jane come over!”
The player called comes running, determined to break through the links of the opposition. If successful, they get to return to their own team, bringing one player back with them. If they fail, the other team claims them.
Kerbs
If you grew up in a housing estate, chances are you used to play kerbs. The rules vary from place to place but simply put you need two opposing kerbs and a ball. You need to stand behind your kerb and launch the ball, trying to hit your opponent’s kerb, head on.
If you do, you get to progress to the centre of the road and you’ll earn five points for every shot. A good game of kerbs also encourages a good healthy appetite, perfect to get those juices flowing for dinnertime.
Get your kiddos outside, run around and enjoy life, cooking and playing – and don't forget, sometimes its easiest things in life that are the best.
