Five Reasons Why Playground Games Are the Best Kind of Fun

LuckyCharmsLizz wants you to get back on those monkey bars and swing for the fences. (We may have mixed our metaphors there, but whatever.)—Sparkitors

Anyone who knows me in real life, has read my profile, or has read my NaNoWriMo knows that I’m absolutely obsessed with playground games. No joke, the first 3000 words of my NaNoWriMo are a filibuster of me practically peeing my pants over Capture the Flag.

That lovely image aside, many people are confused. They say, “But Lizz, you’re 17. Why do you prefer playground games over partying?” (Except, you know, in more colloquial terms.)

And I say, “Well, my fellow teen, let me explain.” (Unfortunately, I probably say it exactly like that.)

1. They’re exercise! And they’re FUN! Let’s face it, teens and children these days don't exercise very much. I’m a bit of a fitness fiend, but I can only spend so many days swimming laps or watching the elliptical tell me I’m slow and useless before I want to become a sherbet-eating hermit. Playground games? They’re great for you! And half the time, you don’t even notice the insane workout you’re getting (at least, not during the game) because you’re so caught up in the adventure. And, speaking of…

2. They’re as close as you’ll ever get to feeling like the main character of a super-awesome novel or movie. Come on: Sprinting through obstacles, dodging the enemy, freeing your teammates from prison, stealing a flag, and taking it back to your territory, all while simultaneously guarding your flags? If you didn’t know about Capture the Flag, wouldn’t you think that that was the plot of an insanely cool book or movie? Freeze tag can also easily be a superhero story, and don't even get me started on dodgeball. You’re clearly dodging grenades or flaming arrows launched at you by an evil overlord!

3. They’re simple, and that’s wonderful. Let’s face it, high school life is ridiculous. Not only do we have convoluted drama, but have you seen the work we’re expected to do? Particularly in English classes. “Well, I think that Author X used the word ‘the’ to represent the clichés and overused indulgences of society.” Math is full of ridiculous problems that you need to follow twelve steps to solve. Blehoogalah. Biology? Photo-freaking-synthesis. That is all. The point is, playground games are endearingly simple in a life full of complexities.

4. You all knew this was coming: pressure-free flirting! We’re hormonal teenagers. There’s no getting around it. But have you ever tried to go up and talk to someone? It’s awkward. Flirting is awkward. Unless you’re one of those totally chill people who can talk to or flirt with anyone, to whom I say, go away now. At any rate, playground games provide a wonderful avenue. You can talk about how fun the game was! If they’re on the opposite team, you can smack-talk them! If they’re on your team, you can help them out, whether through complex flag-capturing double-teaming or simply unfreezing them in freeze tag (guilty as charged. I was one clever second-grader. It’s a great way to break the infamous “touch barrier”). Or, if you guys win, you can pull the ever so clichéd “OH EM GEE WE WONNNN *it’s hugging time, yo*” It provides an extremely easy window to talking (and, hopefully, flirting). It’s simple and clean. And speaking of…

5. No guilt! Let’s face it, we’ve all had those morning-after-the-party “why am I so stupid?” moments. Depending on who you are, the amount you’ve had ranges from one (if you are a normal person) to fifty million (if you, like me, are a generally awkward person). And this obscure little thing called Facebook makes it impossible for people to forget about what you did. Playground games? How can you be embarrassed during a game of kickball? You tried to kick and missed? Sure, that’ll garner some laughs and Charlie Brown jokes, but the worst that can happen is light teasing. That’s not going to prevent you from getting a job, or into college.

Well there you have it, kiddos. Next time you’re hankering for something to do, get some friends together and play some classic games! They’re cheap, easy, and—most importantly—fun in a risk-free** manner!

**Lizz is not responsible for any Red Rover incidents.

We REALLY want to get a Capture the Flag team together. WHO'S WITH US?

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