Some of my favorite memories growing up were getting together with my extended family.
The reason for the get-togethers and the food options changed, but one thing was constant — there were always games.
From a very young age, I can remember watching my parents and aunt and uncles sitting around the table playing Euchre or Hand and Foot. I’m pretty sure I was around 6 or 7 when they started teaching me Euchre. Although it took a few years for me to really pick up the game, I was eager to learn and join the fun. The table was always full of laughter. While I may not remember everything about those get-togethers, I definitely remember the laughs.
While card games were a year-round tradition, it was the summer games I was always the most excited about. Summer meant bringing out the volleyball net, setting up the croquet course or playing a few rounds of badminton. It meant ladderball, pool basketball, bocce ball and more.
For years we would have family volleyball matches — one of my all-time favorite traditions. Having everyone in the family join in for the friendly competition made for a perfect afternoon. I don’t remember how many points anyone scored, or how many times anyone fell down (a regular occurrence), but I remember laughing so hard it hurt.
Picking on each other (always in good fun) was a regular occurrence. No one was amazing at any of the outdoor games, but that never mattered. I’d laugh at myself for horribly missing the ladder in ladderball, or throwing the ball out of the pool. Knowing I wasn’t the best just made successfully hitting the croquet ball through the wicket or getting the birdie over the net that much sweeter.
Now that I’m a parent, I’m hoping to give my daughter summers full of laughter, fun and games too. Luckily, I can provide all sorts of outdoor games for her with help from the Greenwood Public Library.
While the library may not have a volleyball net (yet), we do have bocce ball and croquet. I’m excited to teach my daughter how to play croquet (or watch her make up her own version as we often did). We also have large yard dice and dominoes. Being able to play Yahtzee or Farkle outside in the grass with oversized, wooden dice just seems so whimsical and perfect for a warm summer day.
Our outdoor games are part of our Try It Kits, a collection of kits that allow you to try different things. Some other Try It Kits include color blind glasses, a stargazing telescope, bird watching kit, dremel, knitting and so much more. For a full list of our available kits, be sure to visit our website at www.greenwoodlibrary.us/kits.
This collection is always growing, and we’re open to suggestions for future additions. If you have a favorite outdoor game, or some other item that helps define summer for you, be sure to let us know. I’m hoping this collection can help create perfect summer memories for not only my daughter, but everyone.
Valerie Holbrook is a Reference Librarian and Marketing Specialist at Greenwood Public Library. GPL staff members share in writing this bi-monthly column for the Daily Journal.
