The Mexican goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo has a close brush with the ball while making a save against Chile at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on December 8, 2021. The friendly international match ended in a 2-2 draw. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports)

Benfica's Jessica Silva, right, fights for the ball with Barcelona's Ingrid Syrstad Engen during the women's Champions League group A soccer match between SL Benfica and FC Barcelona at the Benfica Campus in Seixal, outside Lisbon, Wednesday, January 31, 2024. (Photo by Armando Franca/AP Photo)

Spain's Lucia Corrales, left and Canada's Florianne Jourde fight for the ball during a U-20 Women's World Cup round of sixteen soccer match in Cali, Colombia, Wednesday, September 11, 2024. (Photo by Dolores Ochoa/AP Photo)

imena Dominguez of Venezuela competes with the ball in the rhythmic gymnastics on day one of Sky Grace Cup Internationa Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament at Beijing Shougang Ice Hockey Stadium on November 12, 2025 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

A technician disinfects official balls before the Group F Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 football match between Mauritania and Gambia at Limbe Omnisport Stadium in Limbe on January 12, 2022. (Photo by Issouf Sanogo/AFP Photo)

Mahsa Kadkhoda #11 of Team Iran spikes the ball during their semi-final round match against Team Chinese Taipei on day seven of the AVC Cup For Women at PhilSports Arena on August 28, 2022 in Pasig, Philippines. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

In a simpler time all a child or an adult needed to enjoy the outdoors was a ball and a stick. Or maybe an old tire tied to a high branch to fashion a swing. And the only instruction given to children was to “be home before dark”. Now there are iPads and computers and television screens and shrinking safe public spaces. But despite the distractions and limitations of space, these images show the charm of kicking a ball or skipping rope endures. Sometimes with modifications as a nod to changing times. Here: in this Saturday, June 20, 2015 photo, a boy runs while playing with a motorcycle wheel in Samugari, Ayacucho, Peru. (Photo by Rodrigo Abd/AP Photo)

In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, female impersonator Gary Marion, known as “Sushi”, sits in a large replica of a women's high-heel shoe while dangling above Duval Street, late Tuesday, December 31, 2019, in Key West, Fla. The Red Shoe Drop is one of six offbeat Key West warm-weather takeoffs on New York City's Times Square “ball drop” set to celebrate the beginning of 2020. (Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau via AP Photo)