Sports are a fantastic way to spend your time, but they’re not always as accessible as we would like. Whether you’re young or older, here are some of the top sports-themed games.
Humanity has been playing sports for about as long as we’ve been human. We have cave paintings showing wrestling and sprinting, which gradually morphed into the original Olympic Games held in ancient Greece. We began to introduce more complex rules, with ball games such as cricket, basketball and soccer becoming the favourite pastimes of most of the globe.
However, not everyone can play sport all of the time. Team sports like soccer require large numbers of people in order to get a game going. Meanwhile, sports for smaller groups – such as golf – often need specialist equipment or areas on which to play. There are also safety concerns to think about, with sports like American football or boxing being dangerous to take part in for many people.
With that in mind, how can you enjoy sports if you don’t have the people or equipment to actually play them? There are plenty of games that are either based on or themed around sports that should be able to scratch that itch. Here are some of the top sports-themed games that are around today.
Sports-themed games for kids
Children can’t always play sports for a number of reasons. Safety is number one a lot of the time; games like rugby or American football are bound to end in tears or injury, especially with younger children. Complicated rules are often too much for smaller kids, which can be frustrating for them if they don’t understand what’s going on. Here are some sports-themed games you can try instead:
Skill contests
While young children might not be able to cope with the complicated rules of something like baseball, they can definitely enjoy hitting a ball with a bat. Instead of playing the full game, take an element of it – such as kicking a soccer ball or bouncing a basketball – and make that into a game itself.
Races
Children love a good race, and there are loads of ways you can make it a bit more fun – and last longer – than a simple sprint. A classic is a sack race. Get your kids to stand in pillowcases and challenge them to race while holding onto them and jumping, instead of running.
Another great option is an egg and spoon race. Take an egg per contestant (you can hard boil it if you’re worried about mess) and balance it on a spoon. The kids have to race as normal, but anyone who drops their egg is out. This adds an element of balance rather than just running.
Target games
Darts and archery are both popular sports, but they’re a bit dangerous for little ones! Instead, you can get a similar game with something as simple as a hula hoop and some bean bags. Challenge the children to throw a bean bag from a set distance and try to get it to land in the hula hoop.
You can play a similar game with a stake in the ground and some rings or horseshoes, with the game being to throw the item and get it to land around the stake. Horseshoes are a bit heavy for younger children, but older ones will enjoy the added challenge.
Sports-themed games for adults
What about games for grown-ups? We often have an even harder time playing sports than children do, as we have jobs and no sports days or PE classes at school. However, there are still plenty of ways you can enjoy a sports-themed game even if you can’t manage to get a team together for soccer.
Video games
Almost every sport has a video game associated with it. From multimillion-dollar soccer game franchises on the world’s top consoles to simple free games on your smartphone, there are plenty of options no matter what your chosen sport is. Smartphone games are a great way to get started due to their low price point, so you can see if they are a good way to scratch the itch.
This doesn’t just work for sport; there are plenty of other game options available. For example, if you’re a fan of bingo but aren’t able to make it to a hall regularly, you can play using bingo sites online.
Bar games
You might be able to get enjoyment from sport in an unexpected place: a bar. Many bars have snooker or pool tables, darts, table football or foosball, and even more elaborate games like shuffleboard. These can be a fun way to spend an evening while also getting some sporting experience.
There’s nothing that can quite match the feeling of playing sport, of course. However, these games should be able to give you a similar experience that you can enjoy without needing special equipment or a team of people.
