By Elise Loyola
Herald Staff Writer
April 24, 2009 10:09 am
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I love summer, it’s my favorite season. As soon as the weather starts warming up, all I want is to be outside.
As a child, I spent a lot of time outdoors, mostly in the backyard. Being an only child for 12 years, I had to entertain myself during the day.
As soon as I got into the backyard I was making up stories and playing games. After a few years there was a visible path worn around the perimeter of the yard from me walking around it.
I hated the days when it rained (in Texas we didn’t have much snow), causing me to be stuck inside.
I remember one spring it rained for several days in a row. When it finally stopped, I went right outside and played in the mud. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that I wallowed in it. I ruined my clothes and shoes, but my mom didn’t seem to mind too much.
Some days, kids from my neighborhood would congregate in the backyard and we’d play together. We’d usually play baseball, soccer, cops and robbers, or any other games we came up with. Lots of times my parents would join us for a baseball game.
For many years my dad would take me on Sunday afternoon bike rides. We would travel the surrounding neighborhoods until we got to a playground on the edge of a new subdivision. We would always stop there and play, usually with the kids that were there. I loved playing “sharks and minnows,” a game where we tried to keep away from my dad, who was always the shark.
For a few years my friends at church and I went through a phase where we’d play touch tackle football at every church gathering. We would divide up into small teams, I would usually be the only girl, and would play in a skirt most times. Every other week someone got a new Nerf football that we would play with. It was always a contest to see who could throw it the farthest.
I remember when my dad finally got me a Nerf football. It was burgundy and green, and we got a lot of use out of it. But as with most Nerf footballs, it ended up getting a lot of holes in it.
When I was 11 or 12, I had finally saved up enough money to buy a basketball hoop. We would have friends from church over for pick-up games in the driveway, or a nearby park.
These are some of my favorite memories from my childhood, times spent with family and friends.
In college, the trend continued as my friends and I would walk down to the beach and play ultimate Frisbee on warm evenings.
As the weather heats up, start looking for outdoor activities to do with your family and friends. Clinton has a lot of beautiful places to enjoy nature and the warmth of spring.
If you’re looking for ideas for outdoor activities, I came up with a few suggestions:
• Host a picnic. Invite someone you don’t know very well, but would like to get to know.
• Hold a scavenger hunt in the park. Come up with a list of items for teams to find, set a time limit and see who can find the most items.
• Fly a kite. I haven’t flown a kite since I was a kid, but it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for years. It’s a fun family activity.
• Plan an outing to the park with friends. Make sure to bring along sporting equipment or plan for a game like capture the flag.
• There are tons of game ideas online. Search “outdoor games,” to find numerous suggestions. Also, you can get involved in activities and programs through the City of Clinton Recreational Department at the Ericksen Community Center by calling 243-1260.
Elise Loyola is a staff writer for the Clinton Herald. She has been here since November 2008 and she can be reached at eliseloyola@clintonherald.com.
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