Sport can be a great way for families to bond and have fun together, while also keeping active as part of a healthy lifestyle. Whether it’s playing catch in the backyard or going for a bike ride, there are plenty of sports that everyone can enjoy.
Sports can also teach kids important life skills, like teamwork and discipline. Today, we’re going to cover five sports that are suitable for all ages to participate in together so, hopefully, you will be inspired to get your family outdoors and have some fun!
Golf
Golf can be a great way for families to bond and have fun together, while also enjoying some time outdoors in a beautiful green space. If you live near a golf course and have never given it a go, now might be the time! Golf is a sport that everyone in the family can get involved with. You can all take classes together, or just go out and play for fun without worrying about scores.
If you did want to focus more on the fun side of it, you could perhaps start with miniature golf and see how you get on with this before seeking san diego golf lessons, or lessons wherever you are, with a view to picking up the sport a little more seriously.
Because golf is a low-impact exercise, it is suitable for all ages, so even grandparents could come along to play and enjoy some extra time making more special memories with their grandkids.
Baseball
Baseball is a fantastic sport for all ages. Kids love playing it because it’s exciting and challenging, while parents can enjoy watching their kids play and can bond with them through the game. Plus, baseball doesn’t really require much in terms of equipment; all you need is a bat, ball, and enough open space to play in.
If you don’t have any experience playing baseball, don’t worry! There are plenty of resources available to help you get started. You can find instructional videos online, or even take lessons as a family from a professional instructor.
Once you have learned the basics, it’s time to start playing games! You can either play against each other or compete in tournaments against other families – this would be a great activity for the summer to help keep everyone active and enable kids to see their friends regularly.
Cricket
Cricket is a sport that requires teamwork and communication, but it can also be a lot of fun. Plus, for families, it is also super easy to set up and get started playing, even if you don’t have much of an idea of how the game really works.
It’s important to make sure you have the right cricket equipment for your family size and skill level. You don’t want to use heavy or too small bats, or balls that are too hard or too soft, so make sure that everyone is comfortable before you start playing. When it comes to the playing area, you’ll need a relatively large open space to play cricket. If you don’t have a large enough backyard, a local park will have the space you need.
The good thing about cricket is the variety – everyone will get a turn to bat and to field, and bowlers/wicket keepers can be switched out when you’re playing casually so that everyone gets a turn in different roles.
Badminton
If you’re looking for something that your family can play both indoors and outdoors, you might want to think about badminton. Badminton is a really simple sport to get started with; all you need are a few racquets, some shuttlecocks, and a net. When it comes to playing, you can decide what’s “in” and what’s “out” as a family, or simply say that, if a player fails to hit the shuttlecock back, it’s “out”.
As with virtually all the sports mentioned so far, families and friends can compete against each other in a tournament, or simply play for fun. The one thing you can’t control when it comes to badminton, however, is the weather so, if you are going to be playing an outdoor tournament, make sure to check the forecast and, if necessary, book an indoor court so that you can be sure you will be able to play!
Kayaking
If you and your family all love the water, why not try kayaking? You can go kayaking on a river, lake, or the ocean. You should be able to find kayaks and safety gear, such as life jackets, for hire near you relatively easily. Plus, if you are kayaking on a river, some hire companies will have routes that they can suggest for you, depending on your ability and confidence in the water, so that you can really enjoy your session.
If you’re new to kayaking, it’s best to start out on calm water and progress to more challenging areas once you’re comfortable and confident that you can handle it.
Another great thing about kayaking is that it can be a whole day activity, so you can take breaks, and perhaps even a picnic, so that you can stop and enjoy some food while listening to the water around you and appreciating the quality time you are spending with your loved ones.
Final thoughts
The above are just some of the sports that can be enjoyed by families looking to spend more time together. Some of them require minimum investment and set-up, whereas others will perhaps cost a little more to get started with, so it’s up to you to choose something that fits your family the best.
Whatever you choose, we hope that this will be the start of many happy hours of sports, and the installing of good habits for life in your family!