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OT - Tone-up Tuesday

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Or, in my case, Monday 2.0. Blech! The good news is that I'm down 2 pounds,. The bad news - NO idea how I did it. Must have been the protein in those maple-bacon donuts I had on Saturday...

What is a childhood activity that you still enjoy? If you say "None" or can't think of anything, that's sad! I don't care how old you are...SAD.  A trip back to childhood can be FUN and possibly reduce your stress level.

Things I still enjoy:

  • Coloring. I have the 152 piece crayon collection to make things real purty. Wink
    Don't give me mandalas or some other symetrically perfect image! My OCD will go crazy trying to be perfect and my stress level will go UP!
     
  • Bike riding. Oh, the carefree days of being on my bike aaaaaall day long! Back in the days of just you and your bike and maybe some friends. No helmets, no padding, no water bottle holders (we stopped at someone's house and drank out of the hose or drank from a stream). Good exercise, good memories. Nowadays, my old arse NEEDS that protective stuff!
     
  • Swings. Did you ever swing so high you thought you'd go over the top of the swingset? And, of course, you and your friend JUMPED OFF at the same time to see who could land the farthest away. One of my sisters did that.... and left the back half of her shorts behind. Bahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa!
     
  • Kick The Can. The hidiing, the running, the adrenaline.... Whose ready to play?
     
  • Hopscotch. All you need is a piece of chalk and a sidewalk. I almost always had chalk in my pocket.
     
  • Jumping rope. Solo or with friends. It's a good cardio workout. Anyone up for some Double Dutch?
    BONUS INFO: Jumping rope is the equivalent of doing a 5.7-minute mile. 10 minutes of jumping equals a 30-minute run. Aniki wants a new jump rope!

 

I would do any of these activities in a heartbeat! What about you?

Comments

Cover1W's picture

I never, ever stopped riding my bike since I learned how back when I was how old?  First grade?  Kindergarten?  I only had a very short stint in college w/out one.

Swimming!  To jump in the pool/lake for the first time upon arrival, no matter where, is totally fun to this day.

Walks - not necessarily a kid thing, but heck, I had to walk everywhere all the time.  And I never complained.  Still don't.

Horseback riding - grew up on horse (and bike) and while I don't do it much anymore, I enjoy it when I do.  Horsey smell!

Aniki-Moderator's picture

I luuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrvvvvv swimming! If I had to pick one exercise for the rest of my life, it would be swimming. I can almost feel the stress flowing OUT of my fingers and toes.

Siemprematahari's picture

I enjoy coloring, bike riding, and wonder why I don't see anyone jump Double Dutch anymore. I have to say that was my all time favorite growing up and it seems to be rare now. It seems like gone are the days of tag, hide & go seek, and jumping rope. I miss those hot summer days outside, enjoying my time with friends.....being inside was a punishment. Thank you for those sweet memories Aniki!

Hope you are well amiga!

Give rose

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Siempre, when I was a kid, family reunions meant Kick the Can and damn near everyone played. It would be so awesome to get a group of adults together who would play childhood games!

advice.only2's picture

Mine was playing on the bars. I could do the dead mans drop, around the world, you name it I could do it. I was a regular monkey. I could also walk on my hands and do a walk-over, cartwheels, one handed cartwheels, round offs and no handed cart wheels and I almost had a front flip mastered, but I was terrified to do a back flip. I was also killer at roller skating! I was so good at that I could do jumps and spins and I would pretend it was ice skates.

I think for me doing all those things was my rebellion against my mother never letting me take dance or gymnastics because she claims a doctor once told her I have very flexible ligaments and if they snapped then I would be done for...whatever! I am still super flexible and have never had anything snap!

Cover1W's picture

Monkey bars!  I loved them.  Even after the bully kid knocked me off (I have a scar from that still)...

I never got to do dance either, even after begging and begging to do it.  My mother had something against it (I have my theories) so never joined.  However, as a young adult I took ballroom classes and then found swing dancing which I was really good at and went out allll the time. 

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Monkey bars!!! Blisters and new calluses after Winter and gloves.

My Mom would have freaked out to know I was vaulting...

queensway's picture

Hey there Aniki, I still love to ride my bike and as a child during summer we were always outside playing. Being out in nature is a boost for me. Frankly I need to be outside. Enjoy every moment. I remember summers in the lake and getting sunburned. Now being by the water with lots of sunscreen is my style. I love all the things the other posters have said. Happy spring to you!

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Happy Spring, Queen! Good to 'see' you!!!

Biking and swimming and running all over the place. No wonder I once trained for triathlons. 

Thumper's picture

Yes, Candy Land has changed over the years Aniki. I dont like the new ones. We have an old one too.

I did notice you could buy an anniversary one that LOOKS Like the old old ones.

Its a shame todays kids are missing out on stuff----like staying outside all day long except for lunch and dinner. Not checking in with parents, not really. Just coming home with God awful dirty feet during the summer from riding out bike OR running around.

All the Cherry and Orange  Kool aid and Ice tea loaded with sugar I drank...

I saw BRING IT ALL BACK...

 

 

 

Aniki-Moderator's picture

I like the old ones better, GL.

Running all over the neighborhood (and forbidden places, hoping we weren't caught!), stopping for Koolaid or drinking from a hose/stream... Oh, those carefree days of youth!

Cherry or Grape Koolaid and HALF the sugar they called for. Biggrin

agitated's picture

I love swimming and riding my bike the most. I also like coloring! One thing that never gets old is watching my favorite "kid" movies; my favorite being How to Train Your Dragon! I could watch that every day, well maybe not every day. Lastly, I love to lay in bed and do NOTHING on a Saturday morning and pretend not to be an adult. Smile

thinkthrice's picture

on trips.  My father handed me the map (Gasp...pre GPS) and away we'd go.  My mother hated reading maps.

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Thrice, my Dad taught me how to read a map when I was 9. At 16, he let me plan our road trip to Virginia!

DPW's picture

I love all of these... except, what's kicking the can?

My favourite was simply going to explore. We would go everywhere. Leave early morning, cross the street into the woods and we found a small lake once in the woods and that became our swimming spot. Building forts/cabins and hanging out in our new "spot". Finding glass pop bottles and bringing them in for change for candy to energize us for the rest of the day. So many fond memories. It sometimes makes me sad to see all these kids on screens and how they'll miss what I had experienced as a child. 

GhostWhoCooksDinner's picture

I looooove coloring! I too have quite the collection of colored pencils in every color of the rainbow.

I love to swim also, and ride my bike.

 

One thing I always wanted to do when I was a kid but never had the opportunity was martial arts. Guess what I do now? Yup- taekwondo. I even got my first degree black belt at 44 years old.

We used to play Capture the Flag at dusk as kids. Us "little kids" were sent to be the spies. That ws SO much fun! I 'd love to do that again.