Summer is the perfect time to rediscover the great outdoors and flex your athletic muscles, Auntie. Encourage your nieces and nephews to join you out on the lawn in a friendly game of Bocce ball! This historic game is actually an early version of bowling, and it's just as much fun.

What you'll need:

- A Bocce ball set (like this one)
- A wide open lawn, backyard or park

What to do:

1. Divide your nieces and nephews into two even teams (two teams of one, two, four or more).

2. Pick a designated foul line that everyone agrees on. Have the starting player stand behind the line and throw the "pallina," the smallest ball, into the playing field, leaving the distance of the throw up to the players discretion.

4. Then let the player throw one of the "boccia," or larger balls as close as he or she can without hitting the pallina.

5. Let players from each team take turns throwing one of the remaining boccia balls as close to the pallina as possible, alternating until all of the boccia balls have been thrown.

6. At the end of the game the team whose boccia balls are closest to the pallina wins!

7. Feel free to play as many rounds as your nieces and nephews desire!

Published: June 8, 2011