Spring brings with it hope that the coronavirus pandemic will fade out, but it could still be a while before all aspects of life open back up properly, and that means it could take a while for sports to resume. For a lot of people, sport is a great energy release and is important for their mental and physical health, and there’s no better time to do it than in spring! The weather is warm enough to get outside, but it’s not too hot that you’ll be a puddle on the floor after 10 minutes.
For those looking to get back into sports but who don’t have access to the pitches to do it yet, you can still do some of those sports at home. No matter what you’re into, there’s a game for you! Here are five sports games you can play from the comfort (and safety) of your own garden.
Football
This is a common outdoor garden game, and for good reason. Provided you have the space for some goal posts and a reasonable kick around, you can easily play football at home. You can get the whole family on board and split yourself into teams for a proper game.
You will need to be aware of the chance that your lawn might get muddied and potentially ruined, so if your grass is a bit worse for wear before starting, it might be a good idea to try one of the less rough sports listed below instead.
Cricket
This is a more friendly game in the sense that it’s not as harsh on your lawn, but it’s definitely one for those with larger outdoor spaces. The last thing you want is to have to go round to your neighbor’s house every five minutes to retrieve a lost ball or replace a broken window that’s been smashed. It’s always best to bat away from the house and any valuable planters. A broken window is bad, but it’s equally as disheartening when your vegetable patch or beloved planters take a hit and all that hard work is ruined!
Table Tennis
For those who like bat games but either A) don’t have the space for them or B) have too many breakables to even attempt a game, table tennis is a fantastic alternative. The ball doesn’t travel far enough or hard enough to cause damage, but it’s just as much fun and is great for boosting hand-eye coordination and general physical fitness. It’s a great game if you live in a small household with few people because it only requires two people, but you can play doubles if you live in a house of four as well.
Darts
Whether or not darts is really a sport is up for debate, but it either way, it’s a great game to play in your garden. A darts board doesn’t require much room at all, so it’s great for punning against a garden shed. Like table tennis, darts will improve hand-eye coordination, but unlike table tennis, it can be played alone. Whilst a traditional darts match is played by two people, you can practice it alone if you live on your own. If nothing else, having good darts skills will impress your friends at the pub! If you live with others, you can play doubles, so this really is a sports game that everyone can get on board with.
Basket Ball
Everyone remembers having a basketball hoop in their garden growing up. Whether it was affixed to the wall above the garage or a freestanding hoop in the backyard, no one has had bad memories of a basketball hoop in their garden. Relive those memories and get a basketball hoop once again! It will improve agility, reactions and coordination, as well as providing some good afternoon entertainment after work or on those warm spring weekends. Best of all, hoops are quite cheap and accessible to everyone.
These are just five sports you can try in your back garden this spring, but there are many more such as gymnastics, running, badminton, tennis and hockey to name but a few. Will you be trying any of these?