Let’s climb into my time travel ship and zoom way, way back to 1964. And let’s fly over the hilly countryside of Eastern Kansas. Look way down there. See those two little ants? Wait. Let’s fly down a little lower. Hey, those aren’t ants. It’s two young knuckleheads. Riding bikes down a trail in between a field of corn and a tree-lined creek. But hang on. Those aren’t just ANY two knuckleheads. They’re my younger brother and me.
Riding bikes was a HUGE part of our lives.
Because that was how we discovered whole new worlds. In the bright, Kansas summer sun. But also beyond sight and sound. Places that were 50 percent real. And 1000 percent imagination.
You might not believe me. But, back then, it was completely normal to do stuff that made you move your whole body. Or at least more parts of it than your thumbs and eyeballs. And, back then, if someone had said, “Let’s play some online games,” we’d probably ask, “Which line? Those lines in the street? Or the clothesline? Or maybe draw some lines, with chalk, on the sidewalk?”
Yeah, we would’ve thought about what kind of action-packed fun we could invent.
These days, most kids don’t get outside much. We hardly ever see them riding bikes. Weird thing is you can find more old men riding bikes than kids, now. And I know that’s not everywhere all the time. But it’s the norm.
Maybe kids forgot how to use their imagination to have fun. And maybe they need to ease back into it. So, maybe these simple ideas could jumpstart some action. Because these are games kids can even play on the front porch. Don’t even need to move into the yard if you’re not ready.
Check out these 5 games you can play on the front porch:
- Porch Chalk Obstacle Course
- What You Need: Sidewalk chalk
- How to Play: Draw an obstacle course on the porch with chalk. And include lines to hop along, circles to jump into, and arrows to follow. Kids can take turns navigating the course. And they can time each other or race side by side if the porch is wide enough. Add fun challenges like “spin 3 times” or “touch the railing.”
- I Spy: Porch Edition
- What You Need: Nothing!
- How to Play: One child picks something visible from the porch (e.g., a plant, a mailbox, or a car) and says, “I spy with my little eye, something [color/shape].” Then, the others guess what it is. And they take turns being the “spy.” It’s a great way to keep them entertained even as they sit still.
- Porch Bowling
- What You Need: Plastic cups or empty bottles, a small ball
- How to Play: Set up the cups or bottles in a triangle at one end of the porch. And kids take turns rolling the ball from the other end to knock them down. Count how many they hit each time for a fun scorekeeping twist.
- Simon Says: Porch Actions
- What You Need: Nothing!
- How to Play: One child is “Simon” and gives commands like “Simon says touch the door,” “Simon says hop twice,” or “Simon says sit on the steps.” But if they say a command without “Simon says,” anyone who follows is out. And kids take turns as Simon.
- Bubble Blast Porch Challenge
- What You Need: Bubble solution and wands (or a homemade soap/water mix)
- How to Play: Kids blow bubbles and compete to see who can pop the most before they hit the ground or who can blow the biggest bubble. And they can try “bubble tag,” where one kid blows bubbles and others race to pop them while staying on the porch.
These games are easy to set up and safe for the porch. And they can help young kids burn off energy and energize their imagination!
Here are some other ideas I wrote about a long time ago:
Tiddlywinks and pick up sticks
And rainbows and balloons.
Maybe add some marbles, too,
And silly, happy tunes.
Funtime in the bright sunshine
To while the hours away…
Oh, and what I wouldn’t give
To be a kid today.
I’d set up the checkerboard
And play a game or two.
Then go grab my bag of jacks
And see how well I’d do.
Maybe I’d go find my friends,
And we could fly a kite
Tied onto our fishing pole…
We’d send it out of sight.
Then we’d reel it in again
And go out riding bikes…
And we’d ride to secret lands
‘Cross levees and ‘cross dikes.
After that I’d say goodbye
And we’d all go our ways.
Yes, I guess that’s just how my
Imagination plays. © 2013
Now, stop imagining and add your email address to get encouraging, regular issues of my FunderFlash Journal. It comes directly to your inbox so you spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy.
Stay tuned,
