Previous Leisure Activities - Essay Example

Previous Leisure Activities From a set of questions about childhood recreation and play, the responses would be used to develop an essay on the areas of recreational activities that had a great impact on one’s childhood. The following questions would hereby be addressed: (1) what did your parents do for fun? Did your parents have fun together? Did your parents entertain at home? Who did they invite? (2) Did your family vacation? Where did you go? (3) What were your very active forms of play?

Where did you play? Did you play alone?Previous Leisure ActivitiesThe choice of recreational activities and play undertaken by children ultimately depended on the kind of entertainment activities proposed and practiced by parents. In my family, one had observed through the years that my parents’ idea of fun and recreation is watching sporting events with friends and family members. They would host parties to watch games and they also went to many local sporting events. They were big Lakers, Rams, and Dodger fans.

I remember they would creatively indulge their guests to play different activities while watching each sporting event. For the Super bowl, for instance, they would decorate the house in the colors of both teams. As one team would score, fans for that team would rip down decorations from the opposing team. For “Fight” parties they would have prizes for those who guessed the round in which the fight would end. My parents definitely have fun together. I could not remember a time when they delved into recreational activities alone or separately.

They did everything as a couple, except work.In terms of family vacations, every year my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and I went camping in Yosemite. We stayed in log cabins with no doors and concrete floors. During the day, while the men cook, the women would play cards and listen to music. I and my cousins would explore. Our activities were non-structured to keep them exciting and interesting. We would set traps and attempt to capture squirrels and snakes; we would make up innovative and creative games to play.

Often, we encouraged other families in nearby campsites to join in the festivities. I remember a time when we would even drink water directly from the running stream. Family vacations are such invigorating experiences that we always look forward to the next even prior to ending the year’s activities.On a personal perspective, my idea of fun and play is actively seeking outdoor activities especially since I can clearly remember at 7 years old until high school. There were about eight girls and three boys who lived on my street who were within two years of my age.

Our activities varied daily. On weekends and throughout the summer, we would play kickball, sock ball, bike ride, play jacks, tag, and hide-in-seek. There were times when we would make up dance routines and role-play by selecting school scenarios or house situations in our back yards. When we were old enough, we would take the RTD bus to visit friends from school, go to the mall, or see blockbuster movies. At times, we just walked around our neighborhood, walked to the store to run errands for our parents, and walked to the local park to watch a basketball or baseball game.

Likewise, I remember taking swimming lessons for a month every summer and my neighbor had a pool in which the girls who lived on the street would swim as often as we want. I took tennis lessons for a few summers and I also was a cheerleader for the local pop-warner football team from the age of 12 to 15. I had such a wonderful recollection of recreational and leisure activities. I and my family would sure think of more fun activities in the near future with loved ones, friends and guests. We believe that entertainment and recreation is more fun when shared with others.