image sourced at pinterest via sportcourt.com
Lucky us that we were moving outside of the city just before quarantine started. That way we at least had some green around us and were to use the terrace for physical activity in the sun. Painfully was I thinking of the families closed in apartments with no access to neither a terrace nor a courtyard. As a person with a strong sport mentality and the longing to be outside daily, I cannot imagine in the closest of how these families and their kids were managing
At the same time, the quarantine situation made me remember a wish that I always raised as a kid: I wanted a sport court at home. I wanted to have a court in the garden where I was able to play tennis, soccer, basketball and roller blade. I never had it, at least not as pretty as the one above. However, I had a courtyard and I hammered the tennis ball against the house wall day after day, hour after hour. In summers we set up table tennis to play long nights until no one was able to see the small ball anymore. We played tennis with dad on the street and soccer on the grass pitch. We played badminton until the tree had more balls than leaves. It was a good time
Hopefully quarantine at least served some learnings. To appreciate freedom of movement, nature above all and having space outside to play. Of course, not everyone has the opportunity, but I would claim to say that a few families after quarantine re-evaluate living outside the city. Being able to give kids enough space at home got a whole new meaning after this period, whether that is through a big terrace or a garden or even a sport court in the courtyard. Imagine the hours during quarantine you could have spent as a family together practicing sport daily? I really consider the home sport court a great and efficient alternative all year long. Not only is it practical and time well spent together, but it might also serve as initiator to introduce the kids to different kinds of sport activities