Play a Family Game Outdoors for Health and Happiness

If you listen to the experts you learn two things. First, lack of exercise is a problem in our society. We spend too much time sitting in front of the TV, behind our desks, in the car, on the couch, or even at a restaurant. Even though sitting is not a completely bad thing, the problem is we just plain do too much of it. That's why we're all getting fat.

It seems that in our modern world, we just don't move around like we used to. We should spend more time running, jogging or even walking. We should be taking more stairs and less escalators. The American Cancer Society reported recently that people who don't exercise are endangering their health just as much as people who smoke! Not only that, but people who don't exercise--even a small amount--are twice as likely to get heart disease as people who exercise.

Even back when John F. Kennedy was president, the country recognized that Americans weren't getting enough exercise. A fad that captivated the nation was walking. Not just walking around the neighborhood, but walking 20, 25 or even 30 miles in a single day. It was such a big deal that there were newspaper articles and news stories about how far people walked in a day. No one is expecting you to walk 30 miles today, but it would be great if we just got outside to play a family game together.

The same experts that tell us we're getting fat, also tell us that even a small amount of exercise each day has a physically beneficial effect. That's one reason that outdoor family games are becoming so popular. They are reasonably within reach of even the most tight-fisted consumer, plus they are a good way to add some exercise to our daily routine.

BlongoBall is one game that is becoming increasingly popular all across the nation. It's easy to set up and fun to play. You don't need any particular athletic ability so it's suitable for all ages from grade schoolers to Grandpa and Grandma.

BlongoBall uses a bolo made from two golf balls joined by a length of rope. The bolo is tossed so as to wrap around one of the horizontal rungs of a "ladder" type goal. When the bolo wraps around a rung and stays, you score! It's fun and easy to play.

BlongoBall is the original in the "toss it, wrap it, score" game category. Other imitators did not impress us. In our testing we found that BlongoBall seemed like the only one built to withstand normal use. Some of the lesser quality brands broke within minutes of being out of the box, so BlongoBall is our preferred choice. Be wise when buying a game in this category and you'll get one that your family will enjoy for years.

Secondly, the experts say that we're not spending enough time together as families. While being wtih your family may not be part of your weight loss plan unless they cause you to lose your appetite, we are encouraged to be together as families as part of establishing heathy family relationships. Our family together time shouldn't be just for doing the chores around the house, but parent should go out of their way to make family time a fun time.

Outdoor family games are perfect answers to the question of what to do for family fun time. Most families will enjoy a game like BlongoBall which is easy to learn and fun to play. Parents of teenagers enjoy BlongoBall because it is interesting and exciting enough to entice the teenagers to participate without being so difficult that younger or even older family members will be discouraged.

When you're playing BlongoBall it's easy to converse and interact with other players. This is one of the other reasons we like it. It doesn't require such focus and concentration that conversation must come to a stop, yet it's still challenging enough to capture the interest of everyone in the family. It makes family time truly a together time. All the kids, even the very young grade schoolers can play. Plus, you can purchase additional soft rubber ball sets to use indoors in the winter. BlongoBall is a favorite year round game in many families.

Outdoor family games are great for keeping your body and your family in shape! Listen to the experts and get out there and play with your family.

About the Author

Craig Mecham is a marketing consultant during the work day and is a father of six the rest of the time. His family is an ideal testing ground for outdoor family games. Nothing is allowed to interfere with their BlongoBall tournaments!