I have never met an older couple who wished they had spent more time on their couch. Life is short! This truth has hit home recently because my son is getting ready to go into high school. I sometimes find myself just staring at him remembering the time I would throw him from one end of the pool to the other, with him yelling each time, again daddy, again. Even as I am writing this, I get emotional. If you are anything like me, you do not want to look back years from now and have regrets. So now that the weather is getting warmer, let’s get moving and spend some quality time with the people we love the most. Here are some simple suggestions to get your creative juices flowing of some outdoor activities you can do to build some positive life-long memories.
- Scavenger Hunts
Have you ever been part of a scavenger hunt before? My wife organized one for me on my 30th birthday and it was a ton of fun. I am not the super creative type so I have discovered there are some great ideas online you can print for your own use. There are even games you can buy, like Scaventure that come equipped with cards full of challenges. Scavenger hunts are a great option for young and old alike.
- Sidewalk Chalk
Hold on a minute. You might have already written off this idea as just for small kids. I understand your thinking but have you ever tried it yourself. I tried it once, not giving it much hope to keep my attention very long, but 15 minutes later, I was still coloring in what I had just drawn. For families with young children, it is an inexpensive, easy amusement activity. Do you remember in my last blog, I talked about leaving notes? Well, here is an interesting idea, have you ever left your spouse a love note on your steps or sidewalk leading up to your house? I just discovered there is even glow-in-the-dark chalk, how cool is that. You do not have to spend a lot of money to have fun. Sometimes you just have to think a little outside the box.
- Start a Garden
Now here is a great idea. My neighbor’s boys are starting a garden in their backyard as a mother’s day gift. I am no expert but I do know that there are many ways to garden, regardless of skill level. You can pop in a few tomato plants next to the house (check the farmer’s market for plants—they will have heirloom varieties you cannot find other places). Herbs are nice and low maintenance. Many of them are perennials, so they will come back every year, and fresh herbs taste way better than dried. Another option is a butterfly garden, in which you plant nectar flowers and host plants to attract certain kinds of butterflies. If you are a “citizen science” buff, you can help with Monarch butterfly migration and tagging, and you will have your kids ‘or grandkids’ next science project in the bag. There are even easy directions floating around to make a sunflower fort! If you have never tried to grow your own garden or just a few plants, this is a great year to start, especially for your family to have something to work on and enjoy together.
- Set up an Ongoing Backyard Game
When was the last time you played croquet, volleyball, corn hole, kickball or horseshoes? Even if you have fond memories of playing outdoor games with your family as a kid, in the digital age we tend to forget it is still a great option. When you have a game you can set up quickly (or even leave up) you have an easy and fun entertainment solution for the kids, neighbors, and anyone else who stops by. In fact, this idea tends to cause people to gravitate toward your yard in the evenings, which is great for your kids when they are bored and looking for someone positive to do.
These are all great ideas to start now. We are edging closer to the frost-free date, so it is time to prepare for plants if you have not started already. And ongoing games and sidewalk art projects tend to develop a momentum of their own. When the weather gets hot and everyone moves toward pools and barbeques, you can bring these amusements back at odd moments and they will be novel again. As I have said before, if you will commit to winning at home, you will win in life! So get out, have fun and start building some positive life-long memories.
God Bless,
Doug Hedrick