We found 57 results tagged with "playtime"
4 Articles
50 Challenges
Rethink movement
When it comes to exercise, what really moves you? We’re serious. Remember: working out isn’t just about gym membership. Gardening, dog-walking, dancing in your living room – all hold the potential...
Swing it
Your average playground swing is ripe with fitness potential: for your abs, your sense of wellbeing, your coordination, and your feeling of youth. Today, go to a playground and challenge yourself to...
Dog it
Man’s Best Friend needs his daily jaunt – and so do you. Why not introduce the two of you to a new activity that has a sporty feel? Today, challenge yourself to up the athletic ante on your daily...
Take an exercise vacation
Everyone knows that exercise is good for you. But so is giving yourself a break once in a while – and feeling good about it. Today, challenge yourself to embrace leisure and skip your workout –...
Coast on snow
Snow, speed, and simple pleasure — for many, sledding is childhood. This winter, challenge yourself to journey someplace snowy for at least one day of good old-fashioned sledding. _Always consult a...
Be a puddle jumper
Whether you’re leaping over a puddle or aiming to make a big splash, puddle jumping is a childhood pleasure that never gets old. If it's wet outside, challenge yourself to don your rain boots and...
Glide across ice
Lively, exhilarating and even romantic, ice-skating is fun no matter what your skill level. Don’t live in a cold climate? No problem: Manmade rinks abound, and with music and games as part of the...
Build a snowman
What do a carrot nose, and two eyes made out of coal mean to you? If the answer is, something you haven’t done in years, it’s time for a change! Today, challenge yourself to escape to snowy parts and...
Go caroling
‘Tis the season to put on those boots and parka and hit the street with your friends, sheet music, and a mug of cocoa! Caroling is one of the simplest and most rewarding of holiday pleasures...
Party time? Walk this way
Next time you get invited to a Saturday soiree or a Friday fete, try walking there. Sound outlandish? Pick a reasonable destination, of course. Walking is not only good for your cardiovascular health...
Expand your sport horizons
Women: Ever thought about trying a traditionally male-dominated sport? Pastimes like football, hockey and rugby can be rewarding – and are attracting more women all the time. If spreading your wings...
Read about it
Want to learn about healthy living, but don’t know where to begin? Start small by subscribing to a healthy living magazine. Not only will you enjoy up-to-date news, it will arrive in portions you can...
Soak up some sun
Sun exposure contributes to our bodies’ daily production of vitamin D. In fact, it’s believed that we only need 10 minutes of sunlight everyday to meet our daily requirements. Today, challenge...
Fit in friendship
Meeting a friend? Instead of the standard restaurant-and-a-movie, how about meeting outdoors? From there, you can take a walk or a hike, or go for a bike ride. If you pack a healthful lunch, you can...
Refrain from the plane
Planning a trip to a far-flung destination this summer? If the size of your carbon footprint is important to you, you may want to consider a vacation that doesn’t include air travel, which is...
Tour an organic farm
Visiting an organic farm can be an exhilarating experience for children and adults alike. Many tours focus on sustainability, education, and farming best practices. And some even end the day with a...
Walk away your holiday
Some cities are made for walking. Why not make your next travel destination one you can explore on foot? From Venice and New York to Provence and the Greek islands, there are hundreds of places that...
Get acquainted with the stars
Most of us recall an astronomical moment from our youth: camping, the indigo sky and the awesome sweep of stars overhead. Get inspired again! This week, challenge yourself to do a little research to...
Join the circus
Many of us dream of flying. Make it reality with a turn on the trapeze. Circus arts programs are springing up around the country, but if they’re not available in your town check vacation destinations...
Skim the surface
Whether you strap on double skis, single skis or even a wakeboard, water-skiing will get your heart pumping and your spirit flying. With some basic boating knowledge, you can easily rent a boat and...
Team up for a scavenger hunt
Get ready for fun, teamwork, and healthy competition. The scavenger hunt idea can be applied to practically any occasion or theme. Create a Photo Hunt where teams must take pictures of hard-to-find...
Go bowling in your backyard
Various forms of lawn bowling are popular around the world (bocce, boules, pétanque), probably because socializing during the game is half the fun. And since they’re non-contact sports that are about...
Go climb a mountain
Get inspired by Earth Day. Sometime during the next week, challenge yourself to hike your favorite nature trail or explore a new one. _Always consult a physician before starting any exercise routine._...
Make family time happen
Sometimes it’s important to reassess our schedules and our commitment to family life. If you’ve been feeling like you don’t have enough quality time with your loved ones, challenge yourself this...
Test your luck…and tossing skills
A great option for family events, horseshoes toss extra fun into any barbecue or picnic. Challenge yourself to rally the troops and enjoy a friendly game. _(When logging progress for this...
Hop to hopscotch
Remember when you owned the blacktop? Hopscotch captures the joy of using your body in challenging, varied ways, while also improving your aim and balancing skills. Plus, it’s something we can...
Go fly a kite
Make the best of a windy day by grabbing a kite and a few pals. Head to your favorite green space or beach for the launch. You may find that getting it to fly is harder than it looks. But once your...
Tag - you’re it!
As a kid you ran around just for the fun of it, remember? Jog your memory with friendly game of tag. You can level the playing field by having faster or fitter players hop, skip or jump instead of...
Dive for sunken treasure
Here’s something you probably haven’t done since you were a kid. Go to a swimming pool with some friends or a group and take along some bright shiny objects. Now, toss those objects into the water...
Go in circles
Flashing lights, flashback music, and laps around the rink – time to lace up those roller skates. The roller rink provides an active outing for all ages and fitness levels. Just skip the unhealthy...
Hop onto the trampoline
An easy and exhilarating way to see what your body can do when it isn’t limited by gravity. Take a trampoline class to master basic moves. By day’s end most students are tucked into a harness and...
Monkey around at the playground
When was the last time you slid down the slide? Or hung on the monkey bars? You may be surprised that lots of these activities leave you puffing after a few tries. Bring a kid along for inspiration or...
Flip a disc
Tossing a disc with friends is simple but satisfying. Even at a basic skill level you’ll capture the game’s joys. Relish the first time you go for an impossible catch…and make it. Or improvise a game...
Have a croquet day
It’s fun, it’s relaxing, and most of all it’s a lovely way to spend an afternoon outdoors. A great game for mixed-age groups, croquet develops hand-eye coordination and puts the lawn to good use...
Get fired up with flag football
For pure athleticism that almost anyone can enjoy safely, flag football is the way to go. Just tuck some colored cloth into the back of your sweats and get ready to run your tail off. Make up crazy...
Got game?
You don’t need 10 players to take to the basketball court. Just fire-up a friend or two and practice skills you want to master, like lay-ups, three-pointers or dribbling. By focusing on the technical...
Get into dodge
Finally, something you learned in school that you can use in real life. Dodgeball is great for grown-up play and fun family events (with a few rules to keep things in check, like throwing below the...
Spread dance fever
Are you a dancing queen? Or do you have two left feet? Either way, when you gather a group of friends or kids for an at-home dance off you’ll get your heart pumping, plus a great ab workout from all...
Get rolling
Once reserved for teenage boys, skateboarding is now for anyone daring enough to try it. It can be intimidating at first, so take it slow with a test run on a flat sidewalk before you hit the street...
Get your kicks
No serious strategy or batting skills required. Kickball frees us to get goofy and get a workout to boot. Played on a standard baseball diamond, kickball uses a big rubber ball that anyone can connect...
Jump Double Dutch style
There’s a reason some of the fittest athletes in the world jump rope as part of their regimens – it works. But kids do because it’s good old-fashioned fun. Double Dutch requires extra coordination...
Take a window-shopping walk
When you're strolling and chatting with friends you don't even notice that you're getting some serious walking done too. It’s the same when you’re alone and focused on finding that perfect, elusive...
Peddle to the park
Riding with loved ones to a leisurely picnic lunch in the park is one of life’s simple pleasures. If the trip is too long to be do-able you can stash your bike on the front of a bus or on the subway...
Horse around with hoops
In the game of Horse, participants choose a basketball shot – easy or outlandish – that their competitors have to match. Missing earns them an unwanted letter (H, O, R, S, and E). The game ends when...
Pick up ping pong
From the leisurely backyard variety to the intense sparring of competitive athletes, ping pong is exactly what you make of it. Open tables are often available at community centers and gyms. And some...
Hide and go seek
Where’s your best hiding spot? The great thing about playing hide and seek is that it exercises your body and your imagination. Challenge yourself to rally the young'un's and treat them to a game...
Catch some exercise
Few things are as elemental as tossing a ball back and forth with a friend. Challenge yourself to grab a glove, invite a kid or call up a pal, and head outside for a leisurely game of catch. _(When...
Go outside and play
In the next 24 hours, plan an outdoor activity with your friends and family. Hiking, biking, flying a kite, or playing catch — anything goes as long as you have fun...
Laugh out loud
According to a study published in 2001, people with a good sense of humor had less coronary heart disease than those who were more serious. Reducing your stress load and laughing more not only gives...
Tell a joke
In the next 24 hours, make someone laugh. Or, at the very least, go see a funny movie. There’s a reason they say laughter is the best medicine.
