When I was in elementary school there was a new fad every few weeks. One spring we played jacks at recess every day. The next September we were jumping rope.

When we are young we are encouraged to be social, creative and athletic. As adults we don’t have as many opportunities for that kind of exploration and expression.

Recently I’ve found some gown-up fads that help me honor my inner child. Surprisingly, none of them are high tech. They are all resurgences of things that have been around a while. Here are three of them.

1. Hooping

   “Hooping,” also called “hoop dancing” is hula hooping for fitness, creativity and spiritual insight. Hoops are larger than the ones we had as kids, and are often decorated with reflective tape or LED lights.

2. Lenormand Cards

   Lenormand Cards are a deck of thirty-six cards used for fortune-telling.  They are smaller and simpler than tarot. New Lenormand cards, websites and how-to books are being published every day.

3. Ukulele

   More affordable, and easier to carry and play than guitar, playing ukulele is becoming a popular social activity. There are meetups, jams and classes in virtually every city!

Kids have to challenge themselves to learn something new every day. Adults can pretty much avoid having to stretch out of their comfort zone most of the time.

Why not stretch a little and enjoy something that is both old and new?