STRONG SATURDAY - Backyard games

Prevention's July issue listed several backyard games you can play with your family. Exercise doesn't have to be routine all the time - try one or two of these games and have fun with your family...

Badminton: You can play this even without a net - just volley to see how long you can keep the shuttlecock in the air. Count the hits and aim for more each time. *A great arm workout. (you can buy the rackets and birdies starting at $15)

Frisbee: Run to catch the frisbee (works your legs), or just pick a target and play Bull's Eye. Take turns throwing the Frisbee to see whose shot lands the closest. Play with two different frisbees to mark the spots. You can get the same kind of exercise by throwing a football, too! And, there are lots of fun different kinds of frisbees and footballs. (buy a frisbee for $8 to $20)

Shooting Hoops: Challenge everyone to a game of Around the World. Shoot from five or seven spots in an arc around the basket. Every time you make a shot, move to the next spot. The first person to finish wins! Play it faster and faster, and you'll have a great cardio workout. ($10 and up for a ball)

Bocce Ball: This Italian game, easier than bowling, is becoming more and more popular. Just toss the pallino, a small ball, onto the grass. Then try to get your balls as close as possible. (Bocce sets start at $20 and go up to over $100: don't get the cheap sets, they are just plastic balls filled with water. Splurge for a little bit better set with resin balls)

Hopscotch: This is one of the best cardio exercises of all. Speed and balance challenge both kids and adults. Race to see who can hop through the pattern the fastest. To really test your stability, throw two stones, one at the start and one at the end, to hop over two squares each time. Or use a coin, because it's harder to pick up than a stone. (Buy a box of chalk - $2 to $5 - to draw the diagram.

Have FUN this summer!