As a promotion for National Recess Week, Cartoon Network just sent me a red rubber ball like the one pictured to the left. It’s sitting on my desk emitting a wonderful rubber odor and, when bounced, it makes that singular plunky hollow sound. It also makes me yearn for my childhood when my sisters, friends and I would spend hours and hours in our backyard playing games like Four Square, Annie Annie Over and S-P-U-D.  We’d run and giggle and scream with excitement from sun-up to sun-down, stopping only for bathroom breaks, meals and, in my friend, Joan Glauber Ross’ case, to run home to change the TV channel for her older brothers. (This was pre-remote, folks, and after doing this a time or two, Joan caught on!) In any case, guess what? We were all skinny little stick figures because we burned so many calories playing those games.

Moms, Dads: If you want skinny little stick kids that are fit — or at least kids who are not overweight or obese — and if you want to harken back to your own childhood, buy a rubber ball right now. Then, come Spring, drag your kids and their friends outside for some good old fashioned fun. (Note: To burn extra calories, throw out the remote control.)