A reveller holds her dog dressed in costume, during the Rio Dog Carnival, known as the Blocao – with “bloco” meaning street party and “cao” dog, during pre- carnival celebrations at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on February 19, 2017. (Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP Photo)

A dog named Rama surfs a wave off Sydney's Palm Beach with its owner, Australian dog trainer and former surfing champion Chris de Aboitiz (not pictured), February 18, 2016. An Australian dog trainer and former surfing champion is using the discipline of surfing as a way of teaching owners to build healthy relationships with man's best friend. (Photo by Jason Reed/Reuters)

(L-R) Maria Silva, Milena Cortes, Maria Arteaga, Jackeline Bastidas and Gissy Abello pose for a picture at the Famproa dogs shelter where they work, in Los Teques, Venezuela, August 25, 2016. Venezuelans struggling to feed their families let alone their pets are dumping animals on the streets, in parks and at makeshift homes overrun with scrawny animals amid an economic crisis. An hour from Caracas in Los Teques, hundreds of dogs bark and run around the streets scavenging for food outside a makeshift shelter. (Photo by Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

Shoko Ota of Japan celebrates winning the Women's Standing 10km Individual Cross Country during day one of the Winter Games NZ at Snow Farm on August 13, 2011 in Wanaka, New Zealand. (Photo by Camilla Stoddart/Getty Images)

In this November 26, 2018 photo, men run during 100 meters athletics competition of the second edition of the Panamanian indigenous games in Piriati, Panama. These games were held in the Embera town of Piriati, some 55 miles (90 kilometers) east of Panama City. (Photo by Arnulfo Franco/AP Photo)

Gold medallists of China perform Synchronised Swimming Free Combination routine at the Munhak Park Tae-hwan Aquatics Center during the 17th Asian Games in Incheon September 23, 2014. (Photo by Tim Wimborne/Reuters)

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)