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12 Best-Ever Outdoor Toys

September 1, 2014 by Kelley 3 Comments

As fall looms, retailers are trying to unload their outdoor gear to make way for school supplies and Halloween hoopla. Translation: deep discounts, making now, counterintuitively, a great time to stock up on outdoor playthings, many of which can be used indoors during colder weather, too.

Keeping a big bin or two well-stocked with interesting active toys is one of the best things you can do to get and keep your kids off the couch from season to season—and this may be especially true for girls, research suggests. So I asked Curt Hinson, Ph.D, a HHK advisory board member, what would be his top picks for age-spanning, gender-neutral toys that are least likely to collect dust in your garage, porch, or basement. As “Dr. Recess,” Dr. Hinson travels around the country to help kids get moving during free playtime, and sees firsthand what toys children in a variety of different neighborhoods are apt to return to again and again. The good news is, his picks aren’t pricey. In fact, the simplest toys often have the longest shelf-life, he says.

So, without further ado, here’s a list of must-have outdoor toys, with links to examples and descriptions below.

1. Sidewalk Chalk. Not just for doodles; create hopscotch game, ball or puck target, or an obstacle course for bikes or skateboards. BUY: Crayola 48-Count Sidewalk Chalk, $10

2. Frisbee/Flying Disc. Some fave uses: Tossing at targets (like trees) for points, or playing keep away. There are many variations to test out, but you can’t go wrong with a classic disc. Discraft has no less than 17 colors patterns, from “Ultra-Violet” to “Blue Orb.” BUY: Discraft 175 gram Ultra Star frisbee, $8-$18

3. Zoom Ball. A favorite of occupational therapists, ball on two ropes with handles, and you send it back and forth to each other. It’s fun to see how far you can make it travel. BUY: Zoom Ball Sliding Ball, $8

4. Wiffle Ball Set. Picnic table is first base, the oak tree is second base, neighbor’s vegetable patch is a home run (you get it). Once your child masters hitting a ball with a skinny wiffle ball bat, making contact with a classic baseball or softball bat will feel much easier. BUY: Wiffle Ball Bat and Ball Set, $6

5. Soccer ball. Kick it back and forth, play keep away, or try to hit targets in a backyard obstacle. Size guidelines: Buy 1 (mini) ball for toddlers, size 3 for 3-5 year olds, size 4 for 6-8 year olds, and size 5 for older kids. BUY: Vizari Astro Soccer Ball, $6-$20

6. Jump rope. Simple, cheap, and a great workout. Count how many times your child can jump without stepping on the rope. BUY: Green Toys Jump Rope, $10

7. Horseshoes. This traditional backyard game is loads of fun for kids. Try a rubberized version for safety’s sake. BUY: Champion Sports Rubber Horseshoe Set, $14

8. Skip Toy. There’s a lot of versions, from the Skip It to the Skipper. Like a jump rope, it’s simple, but even trickier (in a fun way) for bigger kids. BUY: Skipper, $7.

9. Hula Hoop. An addicting challenge, once you get the hang of it. Little ones can roll and chase them, or hop between them, across driveways or gyms. Buy a few and the game options grow. BUY: Wham-O Original Hula Hoop, Set of 3, $35

10. Lawn Darts. The plastic kind with rounded tips are safest. Try to toss them in opponents’ ring for to score points. BUY: Jarts, $16

11. Bubbles. Want to get a little kid running around? Blow some bubbles and challenge them to count how many they can pop. BUY: Super Miracle Bubbles, with Wand, $4

12. Balloons. See who can keep an inflated balloon up the longest using different body parts, or race across the yard, hitting the balloon as you go. Playing balloon “volleyball” over a line of couch cushions can keep kids of all ages busy during rainy or cold afternoon. Perhaps the king of all cheap, versatile toys, come to think of it. Fun Express Assorted Color Balloons, 144 for $7

Additional photo credits:

Hula Hoops: Elliot Mar

Zoom Ball: Unloveable

Frisbee: Annalisa

Family Fitness Ideas: Beach Games

August 14, 2014 by Kelley Leave a Comment

As August wanes, and the days get shorter and a frenetic fall schedule looms, we’re trying to eke out as as many beach days as we can. Of course, the concept of “beach day” has changed a bit from the pre-kid era of lounge chairs, paperbacks and people watching. Between the sunscreening and swim policing, being at the beach can feel like work when you’re a parent.

But once I stopped thinking about the beach as “me” time and more as family time, I’ve embraced the chaos, and see the beach as a precious time to play with my kids in a way that genuinely interests me a lot more than, say, floor time in February. There’s tag, sandcastle building, shelling, and of course body surfing. But there’s also an opportunity to play some really fun, active games that get the whole family into the mix. (And, bonus: Since running on sand expends 1.6 times the energy as running on a hard surface, your legs and butt can get an awesome workout out of the deal.)

HHK advisory board member Curt Hinson, Ph.D., who designs heart-pumping games for kids on a variety of surfaces, has shared his two fave, easy beach games, which involve little more than a couple balls and a couple kids. All you need to throw in your beach bag—along with the snacks, sunscreen, and the 16 broken buckets collected over years—is a basic beach ball and a soccer ball of any size. Check it out:

Photo by: Gareth Williams

BEACH BALL “HACKEY SACK”

Ages: 6 and up

Number of players: 3-6

Most of us parents remember hackey sack from the 90s. Well, this is a beach ball version, and a lot easier, and more fun.

Three-to-six players stand in a circle. One player starts the game by striking the ball up in the air with a hand. Whomever the ball comes to must hit the ball back up into the air, keeping it in the circle. If a person doesn’t keep the ball in the air when it comes his/her way or hits it outside of the circle, he/she receives a letter B. Play until one player has spelled the word B-E-A-C-H, and then everyone’s letters are erased and the game starts over.

BEACH SOCCER-GOLF

Photo by: Kevin Gong

Ages: 3 and up

Number of players: 2 or more

This soccer/golf/Bocce ball hybrid is easily adaptable to a variety of ages and number of kids.

Dig two holes in the sand about 15-20 feet apart. (Distance should be closer for littler tykes.) Each hole should be about twice the diameter of the ball being used and about 6-10 inches deep. Two players stand opposite each other, each at one of the holes. The first player kicks the ball in the sand towards the other player’s hole. If the ball roles in the hole, the kicker gets one point. The other player kicks the ball back, trying to get it into the other hole. The game continues, and the first player with 10 points wins and a new game starts. You can also play with three players in a triangle, four players in a square, or any even number of players on two teams.

Guilt Buster: A Little Video Games OK

August 12, 2014 by Kelley Leave a Comment

Now here’s a head scratcher: A little time playing video games actually may be better for kids than not playing video games at all, according to Oxford University researchers. In a study of nearly 5,000 British children between ages 10 and 15, those who played for up to an hour a day were happier, more sociable, and less hyperactive than peers who played more than that (no surprise) or not at all (what?!)

To be sure, parents who allow kids to dabble in video games —some 95 percent of us, it seems—aren’t likely doing so out of any character-building or behavior-modifying aspirations. We allow a little video game time because it seems, well, fun. But the study authors suggest that this is precisely the point. “Games provide a wide range of novel cognitive challenges, opportunities for exploration, relaxation and socialization with peers,” researchers write. “Like non-digitally mediated forms of child play, games may encourage child well-being and healthy social adjustment.”

Photo by: sean dreilinger via photopin cc

In other words, when played in moderation, these games give our kids license to chill out and bond with their friends, which aren’t bad things. Just take care to make smart choices when buying or downloading. While the study didn’t address the type of video games that were being played, experts warn against exposing kids games that contain rated R content, especially violence. (Common Sense Media is a great website that rates many video games and provides suggested age ranges.) Parental controls on the TV and computer are no-brainers, too. And don’t forget: Put a timer on playtime. (Literally. I’ve found a simple kitchen timer by the computer works wonders.) A little bit may be better than none at all, but too much gaming isn’t good for anyone—especially kids.