Do you remember being told, Go outside and play when you were a kid? Did you ever wonder what to DO? Outside? Not me. Outside was home for me.

Big kids played with little kids. I climbed Eddie's sycamore tree before I knew its name. We went bike riding and played catch with the dogs. We all played together, no matter what school we went to. The safety net was one single rule, we had to be able to hear our parents call us from one of the 5 yards.

My yard was better for jump rope games because of the slate patio. Patty's yard had a long grassy slope that was great for running games and races. Eddie had a slick driveway that was great for skating and handball. Summertime would bring lightning bugs and we went raced from yard to yard filling our glass jars. Then gathered in the tent in my yard to tell scary stories by "bug light" until someone got called home.

At least once every summer we created a circus using our pets as trained wild animals and our absurdly awkward magic tricks for entertainment. We spent as much time getting the props and stage and costumes together and rehearsing as we did actually performing. When it was time for a homegrown performance it was usually at our patio so everyone could invite a grandmother or mother to come and watch and applaud our circus act.

I don't know who made the lemonade but after the circus there was always something to drink or nibble on. Grandmothers and parents made sure we were all occupied through the summer and everyday after school. Outdoors. Not indoors. There were some homes I never even set foot in but we surely had a lot of fun in our yards.

We think we invented the adventure game called "Scout". It was our specialty. We had to gather all sorts of outdoor gear like canteens, flashlights, sunglasses. Once I got in trouble for using my Dad's Leupold binoculars in the game instead of Eddie's plastic ones. Mom explained they were real binoculars and cost a lot so they were off limits. Today I use them for birdwatching and no little kids will play with mine!

What happened to fun in the backyard? We were not afraid to learn by falling or failing. We taught each other how to get along. Fights were not allowed. Today quarrels and fights are common in school. And neighborhood streets are empty while kids play alone indoors with video games and eat junk food and get fat.

I wonder if we all spent more time outdoors we could have healthier kids and happier neighborhoods. Our kids spend a lot of time so protected and supervised in group activities they hardly know how to create outdoor games. Let's make a difference and create some healthy outdoor fun together today.