Now that spring is well and truly here, it’s time to get outside a bit and enjoy the warmer weather and the budding flowers. Spring is a chance to see the world born anew and to remember some of the great fun we had growing up, playing silly outdoor games (some of which we made up on the spot) outside while the adults stressed themselves out doing that crazy “Spring Cleaning” thing. I don’t know about the rest of you, but some of the best fun I had involved mixing the old and the new during the spring, which gives us something to look back on this Throwback Thursday.
1) Hide and Seek meets Legend of Zelda — This game would last from morning until our parents were shouting at us to come inside for supper. My best friend and I would pair up and tell another friend of ours to go hide (she always went and “hid” at her other friend’s house). Then the two of us would set out on a epic quest to explore every nook and cranny of our neighborhood, armed with our wooden swords (sticks we picked up from under a tree) and our imaginations. We fought fierce monsters, tamed savage beasts, found all kinds of treasures, and would “rescue” our friend sometime around mid-afternoon at which point the three of us set out on the Second Quest (which was the same thing only this time with even more fun).
2) Robin Hood — We saw the movie “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” and fell in love with the idea of a city built in the trees. So, we spent an entire spring and summer trying to build one out of ropes, vines, and tree branches. It didn’t work but it was a lot of fun!
3) Red Martian Rover — Four kids + a lot of bungee cords + a lake + a lot of rocks + a vague understanding of the physics of ballistics = Best game ever. We really thought we could get enough cords to launch one of us into space.
What were some of the things you used to do with your friends as a kid? Let us know in the comments below!
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