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)

A seagull looks on as the Italian three-color special air force acrobatic team “Frecce Tricolori” flies over Rome and the Vatican Wednesday, June 2, 2021, as Italy celebrates the anniversary of its unification. (Photo by Andrew Medichini/AP Photo)

A woman dressed as the Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy walks her dog dressed as the Cowardly Lion as they attend the annual Congressional Dog Costume Parade on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on October 27, 2021. (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP Photo)

A young fan plays a virtual reality game during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, August 29, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Julia Nikhinson/AP Photo)

Meade forward Jaisean Kenner (21) hauls down a rebound against Sherwood forward Bryce Johnson (33) during the Class 4A boys' semifinals on March 8, 2023. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

People take part in the 2022 National Carnival Parade, on the Malecon of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 06 March 2022. The first post-pandemic national parade of the Dominican carnival had to appeal this Sunday to its color, enthusiasm and creativity to overcome the inclement rains that delayed and hindered the most popular and unbridled cultural display in the country. (Photo by Orlando Barria/EPA/EFE)

A dragonfly rests on a leaf in Hinojedo, Cantabria, northern Spain, 01 June 2023. (Photo by Pedro Puente Hoyos/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

England fans show their support during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Quarter Final match between England and Colombia at Stadium Australia on August 12, 2023 in Sydney / Gadigal, Australia. (Photo by Alex Pantling – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)