Child’s play takes effort

It is nice if kids have cool, innovative and captivating equipment to encourage them to play outside [“The Cool Kids? They’re Outside,” March 10]. My children had more basic toys such as in-line skates, basketballs and soccer balls.

The main reason they got a lot of exercise (in rainy Oregon) is because there were strict limits for the usage of the computer and television. TV was reserved for weekends during the school year; recreational computer use was only allowed in the evening after homework was complete.

Lori O’Connell

Bakersfield