Play a Family Game Outdoors for Health and Happiness

By Craig Mecham

The experts are telling us two things these days. First, we don't get enough exercise. We sit-a lot! We sit at our desks, on our couches, at our tables, in our cars, at restaurants and much more. Now, mind you, sitting is not altogether a bad thing, the problem is that we've got the whole sitting thing out of balance. We sit too much. The result is that we're all becoming fat!

Back in the good old days, Americans got much more exercise. Not so today. We need to do more walking, running, jogging or even just moving around--take the stairs instead of the elevator--you know the drill. One recent report from the American Cancer Society says that lack of exercise is just as dangerous to our health as smoking! That's a surprise! Plus, they tell us that people who don't exercise are two times as likely to have heart disease as people who are exercising even a moderate amount.

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.

So, if we admit that we're getting a little fat as a nation, what can we do about it? Again, the experts tell us that even a moderate amount of exercise will help. People are starting to recognize this as evidenced by the increasing popularity of outdoor family games. There are many to choose from and they're priced within reach of even the most budget conscious consumer. It's an inexpensive way to add exercise to our regular 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.

The game is played by tossing a bolo constructed from two golf balls connected with a length of rope. The bolo is tossed at the horizontal rungs of a "ladder" type goal. Scoring is accomplished when the bolo wraps around one of the horizontal rungs. It's easy to learn and fun 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.

The next thing the experts are saying is the we're not spending much time together as families. Spending more time with your family may not exactly help you stay in shape unless you're chasing each other around the house, but spending time together is an essential part of developing a healthy family atmosphere. Psychology and parenting authorities encourage families to be together for more than just accomplishing the household chores. Families need to have fun together.

This is a natural place for outdoor family games to fit into the routine. Most families will have a great time with a game that's as easy and fun to play as BlongoBall. Even temperamental teenagers can easily become interested in game that's a little challenging but not demanding a tremendous amount of skill.

We especially like BlongoBall because it's easy to talk and interact with each other while playing. It doesn't require intense concentration but is still demanding enough to maintain the interest of the whole family. Players of all ages and skill levels will want to play. In addition, you can purchase soft rubber ball sets to use indoors, so BlongoBall can be played all year long--even when there's snow outside!

If you want to be in better shape both physically and emotionally, get your family together for a few games of BlongoBall. It works! - 31409

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