A student of the Sri Lankan ancient martial art “Angampora” performs during a practice session at the angam maduwa or fighting field, in Korathota, a suburb of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 07 September 2022. Sri Lanka's ancient martial art, Angampora, is thought to be thousands of years old. Anga translates to “body parts” and Angampora is a fighting art that uses body parts. Martial arts practitioners in Angampora were mostly in the king's service, and they were tasked with protecting the king and his kingdom. Angampora was practiced in secret for most centuries because the British, who colonized Sri Lanka, banned it in 1818 after seeing it as a threat. (Photo by Chamila Karunarathne/EPA/EFE)

An Indian woman reacts while performing yoga at a railway station on International Women's Day, organised by Heal-Station in association with Western Railway, in Mumbai, India, 08 March 2023. (Photo by Divyakant Solanki/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A cat is presented during “The "3rd International Pursaklar Cat Beauty Fest”, on October 14, 2018 in Ankara. (Photo by Adem Altan/AFP Photo)

“Light From Heaven”. Taken around Mount Bromo, East Java, Indonesia in the morning. Photo location: East Java, Indonesia. (Photo and caption by Pimpin Nagawan/National Geographic Photo Contest)

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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)

Saint Nicholas poses with students during a traditional parade in central Brussels, Belgium December 3, 2016. (Photo by Yves Herman/Reuters)

Metropolitan Police run as they escort people, some without shoes, away from a shooting scene in the northwest part of the city on April 22, 2022 in Washington, DC. Police evacuated residents from the shooting scene Friday afternoon and there were reports of several shooting victims. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

A woman rides a Vespa during the Annual Columbus day parade in New York on October 11, 2021. (Photo by Kena Betancur/AFP Photo)