Top 7 Outdoor Games for Boys

Boys are full of energy and excitement, especially younger boys. Most parents understand that they need to have a list of games they can send their boys outside to play in order to keep them entertained, and sometimes out of the way. The following is a list of seven outdoor toys, games and sports that boys of all ages can enjoy: 1. Basketball Many older men will recall days during their youth that were spent at a local gym or at a neighbors front yard playing basketball. A basketball hoop is easy to purchase and they can either be hung on a home bought freestanding. Basketball provides a great opportunity for boys to make new friends and stay in shape. 2. Street Hockey All that is needed to enjoy a game of street hockey are a few roller blades (or even tennis shoes will work), a couple of sticks, a small tennis or racquetball, and a net. Boys can spend hours pouring out their energy on the pavement at a local school or church parking lot. 3. Skateboarding Some parents worry that skateboarding may be dangerous for their young children. Boys should not take up skateboarding until they are at least seven or eight years old, but it really offers a safe way to get out in the sun and work up a sweat. 4. Trampoline Games Many parents will purchase a trampoline as for their little boys. With all of the new safety nets and pads, trampolines are much safer and more reliable than they used to be and there are not a whole lot of sensations that give a boy a smile as big as they get on a trampoline. 5. Ball Games T-ball, wiffleball, and softball are great activities for a larger group of boys. Almost all little boys love to swing their bats around and play catch with their friends. 6. Swimming Local swimming pools provide boys with an astounding variety of games they can play with friends and neighbors. Some parents even purchase large pools that they can set up in their backyards. Parents should be sure and watch young children in the pool in order to ensure safety. 7. Hide-and-Seek No boy is ever too old to play a game of hide-and-seek. In fact, many adults will recall the game becoming more fun when they could play at a local park with their teenage friends. Boys love to play outside and release their energy. There are many other outdoor games for boys that can be played and everyone can come up with their own list.

Class of 2022

Today I watched my very proud six year old receive his Kindergarten diploma. A huge feat considering how much Kindergarten has changed in the last several years.

Kindergarten used to be about paste, crayons, letters and numbers.

My how the standards have changed. Kindergartners are not only learning phonics, but reading and writing. A curriculum that requires dedication and the memorization of over 200 site words.

I'm sure this task stressed me out way more than my son, who moseyed through the lesson plans while I anxiously awaited him to achieve each milestone. His new skills providing definitive ammunition for the next round of "my kid is smarter than yours" (passive aggressively played at a play date near you).

Once your child enters elementary school, you soon learn that you (and by you, I mean parents), and your kid are in this together. Their success highly depends on how committed you are to checking homework and reading nightly. A job that I admittedly sometimes do begrudgingly, with the occasional adult meltdown.

Parenting meltdowns aside, we emerge at the end of the school year victorious (today proven by the huge smile on my little guys face). As graduation season comes to a close, don’t forget to pat yourself on the back (or have a cocktail or two). They SO could not have done it without us.

School's Out For Summer!

The last day of school is this coming Friday. As my 2 oldest boys are counting down the days to freedom, I am frantically trying to figure out what to do with them for the summer.

Of course there's the obvious choice, camp. However, the cost for day camp is about $100 bucks per week, times that by my 2 camp aged sons, then multiple that by 8 weeks, and you get a mom with a checkbook related headache.

I've considered summer school. Not a bad idea, right? Wrong! Most schools now require that your child be failing or close to failing to participate. It's not a "just because mom wants you out of her hair" activity anymore.

I checked our local parks and recreation, and it turns out they have several summer activities going on, including Martial Arts Ninja training for kids. Anyone who has boys knows that anything with the word Ninja in it would be well recieved. I read the description:

"Price: $45". So Far so good. Tell me more.

"Ages 6-14". Great! My boys fall between that age.

"The camp will also feature modules such as child abduction resistance, assertiveness training, and peer conflict resolution to name a few." If peer conflict resolution means that there will be less WWE worthy fights between my two little WWE stars, I'm all for it.

Then, while I was reading with high hopes, and a summer solution in site, I read, "martial arts weapons training". And all I could imagine was my 6 and 7 year old sons trying to kill each other with nunchucks. If you have spent any amout of time with boys between the ages of 3-50, you know this to be a very likely possibility.

What are your kids doing over summer break?