Spousal Playdates
Playdates aren’t just for toddlers and puppies! While “date night” is a good thing, what could be more fun than just grabbing your mate to go outside and play? Participating in organized sports and furthering fitness goals are worthy pursuits. But for the spousal playdate? Let your inner child have free reign with some blast-from-the-childhood-past fun. Here’s 5 ideas to get you started!
1. Hula Hooping. Just try not to giggle while watching the other wiggle and squiggle to keep that hoop from hitting the ground! Don’t forget arm spins, leg spins, and neck spins for a little variety! Click How to Hula Hoop to get all the basics down, or tour some YouTube videos for a few moves to wow your mate with!
2. Backyard Games. While yesteryear games of tag, Statues, or Red Rover, Red Rover may be a little too youthful to revisit, a nostalgic game of croquet or badminton might fill the bill. Both are portable, easily found, and available in a broad range of prices. Nothing like whacking a birdie or cracking a croquet ball to release a little pent up energy! Or check out some newer games to get your challenge on HERE.
3. Laying in the grass. Start out on your stomachs with a roll-out mat of games to play. End up rolling onto your backs to enjoy evolving cloud-pictures floating overhead.
4. Picnic Play. Whether it’s fancy-shmancy fare tucked into a wicker basket or PBJ’s in a brown bag, take your food and a travel game or two to the park. Or the patio. You won’t have any problem finding most of your favorite board games in a compact, nicely contained travel version. Scrabble, Backgammon, Cribbage, Battleship – something for everyone!
5. Visit a playground. Sure, that’s taking the whole playdate thing a bit literally – but so what? Remember swinging on swings with your buddy for hours, sharing stories, confiding dreams? Then racing each other to the merry-go-round where you took turns spinning and hopping on while the other rode? The afternoon can be a step-back-in-time that will leave you both with a smile on your face. Assuming, of course, that you don’t do that teeter-totter thing where you jump off while the other is in the air!
NOW GO FORTH AND PLAY!
Great ideas. Never could hula hoop…
Me either, Lisa – and others made it look so easy!
Great ideas! We went through a stretch where we did date night activities—shooting at the gun range, rock climbing, etc. with a group of couples. Some of our best date nights ever!
Having fun AND moving with your spouse – great combo, Mari!!
ACK! I’m not getting your posts along longer. I saw this on FB.
I love this, Shel. I’m a huge fan of the Hula Hoop! I would guess they’re pretty good exercise for the waist. I might have to pick one up. 🙂
I wonder how we got disconnected – seems like that has happened once before. Frustrating – because there’s probably others that I’m not connected on FB with that have been dropped off the email list, too.
Looking at some of those Hula Hoop videos, it looks like many body parts can benefit from some hooping! It sounds like there is a new-and-improved version since our youth that has a bit more weight to it. Let me know how it works if you give it a try! 🙂
since hubby and I are in our 70s, we enjoy more gently dates like eating out…and watching dvds together…lol!
Gentle is good, too, Lin – especially if that’s what you both enjoy. Hope you have an enjoyable, gentle weekend!
I love this, Shel. Jim and I do a lot of the playground visits, hula hooping, picnics, etc., when we’re with our grandchildren. For us, we have a special date day that has become our favorite day. Yoga for seniors first, then a relaxed breakfast to talk and plan at a wonderful restaurant that makes-to-order healthy, delicious meals, and then we see a movie together. (He chooses one week; I choose the next. If nothing seems good, we go to the Fine Art Center and enjoy the displays.)
I’ll be watching your blog for hula hooping pics, Marylin! Love the way you and Jim prioritize each other and your date life – hope the grandkids are watching!!