While crawling under a blanket near a cozy fire with hot chocolate in your hand and your favorite rom-com queued up may sound nice, it is only nice for so long. Especially after months of unbearable cold and little-to-no sunshine. Cabin fever can creep up faster than we would like to admit. But never lose hope, one of the beauties of the midwest is the clear change of seasons. Eventually, you start to hear birds chirping again, and remember that your neighbor still exists when you see them outside for the first time in forever. That is because spring is around the corner and another winter is behind us. With warm weather comes a natural tendency to want to enjoy the outdoors again. What better way to enjoy the midwest outdoors than pairing that with yard games as well?
Your competitive spirit may be burnt out on indoor board games, and nobody would blame you for that! Let’s explore 7 reasons to get outside this spring in an effort to break free from cabin fever.
- A Breath of Fresh Air
This title speaks for itself. Do you notice the difference in morale after stepping outside to be out in the sunshine, see the greenery, and inhale some fresh oxygen? While taking in deep breaths, you can simultaneously knock the breath out of your best friend through the beautiful game that is Bubble Soccer. Go ahead and search “Bubble Soccer” on YouTube and watch the epic memories that can be made from this wild and joyful craze.
- Outdoor Life Celebrations
Bringing a lot of people into an indoor place can feel crowded, toasty, and overwhelming. That’s why we think the outdoors are the perfect place to celebrate big accomplishments or life events, such as graduation parties or birthdays. If you are looking to make your party really stand out, consider these group yard games: Human Foosball, Boulder Dash.
- Outdoor Holiday Parties
Along those same lines, plenty of holidays land in the springtime including Easter, Star Wars Day, Memorial Day, and more. These again call for large group gatherings that can be best enjoyed in the great outdoors. Although we don’t have the luxury of dueling with real lightsabers to celebrate May 4th, you can come close with a jousting competition.
- Stress Relief
Time and time again it is good to take your mind off of the everyday stresses of life and be around your loved ones. A fun way to relieve this stress is to enjoy the views of the mountain peaks. The flatlands of the midwest can still provide this type of adventure!
- Sharper Thinking and Creativity
A mind energized by the outdoors and relieved of stress naturally leads to healthier thinking and more creativity. Being cooped up in the workplace can become monotonous and slow. To pick up the pace and challenge your brain, see if you can fly through this extreme obstacle course.
- Encourages More Exercise
January already feels like a long time ago. Did you have a resolution to be more physically active this year? Whether you have crushed this goal or are slowing down, getting outside will push you to continue or rest this trend of staying active. Going on a nice walk is a great start to this trend, then if you want to liven things up you can test your skills on the bungee run. That will surely help burn a lot of calories.
- A Safer Way to Gather
Our last reason to get outside this spring is for the safety of those around us. Community plays a huge role in our daily lives, and we have learned how much we miss being around people when circumstances prevent us from doing so. A great way to enjoy community is to get together when the weather is beautiful. And March is the midwest’s way of saying goodbye to winter, and hello to spring!
We hope these reasons and yard games help with enjoying the spring outdoors this season—with friends and family in particular! But when/if others are busy or you just feel like going it alone, don’t hesitate to head to the park by yourself in 2022. Sometimes it’s an easy way to meet a new friend or just get some fresh air by yourself. Again, the most important thing is that you step out of whatever “cabin” you’ve been in and rid that fever for good. Or at least until next winter rolls around.
