75 Sports You Can Start at Any Age

Learn about 75 sports you can start at any age. Whether you’re an old geezer or a young tulip, learn about your options for physical activity. There’s nothing better than getting exercise in sprinkled with loads of fun.

 1. Archery! This one requires an open space and minimal equipment and vascular strength. Just some good hand-eye coordination! You can play with paint and blunt arrow tip if actual arrows seem too daunting.

@hiteshchoudhary

2. Badminton is fun even if you don’t know the rules. Two people, two rackets, and a birdie gets you a game. You don’t even really need the net. Just get in the competitive mindset and lob the birdie back and forth for a good workout.

3.  Chess is the ultimate indoor sport. You can remain competitive, flex your brain muscle, and play during any weather. Win, win, win. Make it ultra competitive by putting time limits on moves.

4. Ping pong can get your feet moving and your arms snapping but is relatively low impact and easy to play for fun. You can play the game on your dining room table if you don’t want to invest in a proper ping pong table.

5. Volleyball can be played with or without a net. Learn to bump, volley, spike, and serve. Now you can toss the ball around with friends, or practice against the wall. You can also use a beachball if you’re in a pinch or want a ball that saves room in your luggage.

6. Basketball. You don’t need a huge team to learn ball drills or shoot hoops. All you need is a ball with air in it and an open mind to learn. Play HORSE with a friend if you’d like to play to win. Every basket earns a letter and the first to spell HORSE wins.

7. Juggling. You can learn to juggle anything. Household items included. Pick up some apples (you might not be able to eat them after) and juggle away. Start with two items and see how many you can add.

8. Rhythmic gymnastics may seem like a sport for younger children, but it can be a fun way to incorporate movement and dance. Shut the door if you need to, and just have fun!

9.  Air hockey is a great family activity to get the competitive energy flowing. A table can be pricey but will pay itself off many times over with all the fun had. Set up regular tournaments and put your back into it when you play.

10. Cross-country skiing is a low-impact, all-day sport the entire family can enjoy. A sunny day in the snow can keep the winter blues away. Look at second hand skiis for growing children to keep costs low. A bonus of this sport is a ski pass is often not needed.

@8moments

11. Ball hockey really only needs a few sticks and a ball. Nets can be figments of your imagination. One can also play this solo to learn ball and stick handling skills.

12. Kickboxing requires very little equipment, and most exercises can be done in low-impact variations. If you don’t get pads and gloves, you can shadow box and work on technique alone. No hitting needed.

13. Cycling has a one-time cost of buying a bicycle, with helmets needing to be replaced every few years. Otherwise, it’s pretty much free. It’s low impact, and easy to do with others.  Take the family through the suburbs or on a local bike path to the park.

14. Trail riding is amore expensive sport, but offers a lot of rewards. Whether you want to partake regularly, or take the family once a year during a vacation, most can do it and almost all will enjoy!

15. Cornhole may seem like a backyard party game, but it requires lots of hand-eye coordination. If you don’t want to build a box, draw markers with chalk.

16.  Capture the flag can be played with only a handful of people, adding whichever variations your group needs to have fun and play safely. Choose to wear the flags on your person or hide them on your side of the playing field.

17. Frisbee can be played stationarily or on a more intense playing field, like ultimate frisbee. This makes it a great sport for a wide variety of people. You can also play with others’ preferences in mind, sending easier throws to children or harder ones to adventurous dads.

18.  Tennis is a great workout and requires minimal equipment. If you live in a city there are likely courts all around you. A tube of tennis balls and an inexpensive racket can be a great investment to a fun game. You can play with two to four people, and make the game as intense or low impact as you’d like.

19.  Wrestling is an underground sport not many consider taking up. It teaches a lot about self control and strategy. You can take up wrestling and practice with one partner, working on your strength and playing within your limits. No equipment besides a mat is required.

20. Water polo is a contact, team sport that is played in a pool with a ball. If you want to play a less intense version, you could rent a pool with a group and play a touch version with floaties. Exercising in water puts less strain on your joints than doing so out of water.

@overide

21. Lane swimming is a great form of low impact cardio. It is also a great way to clear your head and focus on your body, because you can’t hear anyone else in the water. All you need is a swimsuit, with a swim cap and goggles being optional. Most community centres offer public lane swim hours at affordable rates.

22. Snowshoeing is a fun winter sport that takes more energy than most think. You’ll find yourself sweaty and tired by the end of your trek, knowing you had a good workout. This is especially great for children who might struggle walking through deep snow.

23. Bowling is a great family or friend activity. Playing in a team creates a great sense of teamwork, but the game is simple enough there likely won’t be an unhealthy amount of competition. Because bowling happens indoors, it’s a great way to stay active if you live in a northern climate but can’t partake in winter sports.

24. Canoeing and kayaking is a great workout and strength builder for your arms. It can be done most of the year if you’re an all-weather type of person. These watercrafts can often be rented for fairly affordable rates and take little instruction to learn how to use.

25. Ice skating can be done both outdoors and in indoor rinks. If you’re not looking to go fast or be competitive, used skates can be all you need. On a nice day one can easily skate several miles on a frozen canal or waterway, which can equate a lot of calories burned. Make sure to bundle up!

26. Skeet shooting or target shooting are fun ways to practice precision and awareness. Gun safety is at the forefront when learning these sports, then you can go with friends and see who has the best shot. Skeet shooting happens outdoors and involves hitting a moving target, while target shooting can be done indoors.

27. Axe throwing is not always seen as a conventional sport, but as a novelty activity. That being said, once you’ve learned how, you can easily set up a target in your yard and work on your precision and arm strength. Just make sure there’s no one around in case you miss.

28. Yoga may seem boring, but it offers a lot of advantages, especially for the mind. You can use yoga to stretch or strengthen, or simply practice more mindfulness in your day. This is a great activity for families as it can be done with no equipment, and can teach children the value of quiet time.

29. Competitive eating! Yes, it’s classified as a sport!! If you love hotdogs, or eating fast, this one is for you. It may not be a lifelong sport, but it could definitely be a goal to work towards and something to train for. All those factors get you into the sport mindset, and that’s what counts!

30. Crab soccer is a fun sport to play with kids, or to keep them occupied when you need some time to yourself. Players crouch on all fours with their faces up and walk like crabs. They can use their limbs to kick the ball and follow soccer rules when playing.

31. Croquet can be played in the garden alone, or in groups. The equipment required is a mallet, a ball, and a few wickets. This sport is usually played with multiple people, but you can enjoy the technicalities of it alone or in smaller groups as well.

@katieanalyzes

32.  Running can be hard on your joints, so avoid this if you’ve got creaky bones. That being said, a good pair of running shoes and softer running surface can eliminate a lot of potential injuries. Start out slow if you’re new to running and set realistic goals. Run with a friend to help hold you accountable.

33. When in doubt, dance it out! Dance is an amazing workout. You can freestyle, or create and learn a routine. You can attend Zumba classes, or dance alone at home. The possibilities are endless, and anyone can dance.

34. Dock Dog is a sport that involves man’s best friend. This can be considered a team sport because you spend just as much time training as your dog does. You two can practice for competition, or just partake in the sport for fun. You need access to water, and your dog’s favorite toy.

35. Disc golf involves the game of golf, with a frisbee instead. This game is slow-paced and involves lots of walking. You can set up your own targets, adjusting the difficulty to the players you’re with. Make sure everyone has their own frisbee of a different color!

36. Do you remember dodgeball? This is a super easy sport to play, even with limited people and equipment. Two balls and four people should be enough to get a lively game started. Just be careful to not aim the ball at anyone’s face!

37. Soccer baseball is an incredibly fun game which can be modified if you don’t have enough players to make teams. Have one player kick the ball and try to make sure they don’t get around the bases before you catch the ball or join them on a base. Bases can be made of fictional markers, so you can play this game anywhere as long as you have a ball.

38. Softball is another sport that can be started at any age. Playing non-competitively is fun, and requires little equipment or skill. The game is not overly technical so you don’t need to be worried about learning a lot of rules. Simply grab a bat and keep your eye on the ball.

39. Waterskiing is for those with a need for adrenaline. You grab onto a handle and ski on the water behind a boat. You can go fast and have lots of fun, but you can also hurt yourself if you fall too hard. Consider starting this sport if you’re still in the bouncing stage of your life.

40. Foursquare is a well-known reminiscence of childhood. All you need is a ball, a 10’x10’ plot of ground, and four or more people. You can cycle extra players in or just keep playing even if you catch or throw the ball out of bounds. This game is low impact and is a great way to team-build.

41. Horse polo is a sport comprised of polo and horseback riding. It requires the ability to multitask, being able to steer your horse and get the ball down the field with a mallet at the same time. This is a good sport to learn if you’re dedicated to taking the time. Previous riding experience would be an asset.

@mappingmegantravel

42. This sport is sure to leave your spouse happy with your adventures. Extreme ironing involves taking ironing boards to extreme, remote locations and the ironing your shirts and clothes! This sport has multiple pros, including the fact you’re using household items you already have as well as saving on dry-cleaning.

43. Octopush is a version of hockey that is played under water. You push the puck around with a stick as you would in hockey, but the added pressures of being underwater make the game more challenging. The puck will change possession often as players come up for air, but the game is fun nonetheless! Kids could try this one using their mini sticks in the backyard pool.

44. Cheese rolling, otherwise known as the most intense dash you’ll ever participate in. the sport involves pushing a huge roll of cheese down a hill. The wheel gets a head start of one second, and then you follow it down the hill. The main aim seems to be to catch up to the cheese, which is harder than it sounds. Consider this a full workout once you’ve pushed the cheese back up the hill as well.

45. Bog snorkelling is an underground sport with championships held in Wales. The sport involves “swimming” through a 55’ bog of peat moss. Competitors are allowed snorkels and flippers, but are not allowed to use traditional swimming methods. So you can only kick your way through the bog. The fastest to get through is the winner. Good luck!

46. Have you heard of the lumberjack world championship? That in itself might be a feat, but lumberjack type activities would definitely be considered a sport, and can be a great way to burn energy in a useful way. Try chopping some wood, or rolling a log from one location to another to see if you’re cut out for the task.

47. Have you or your child always been obsessed with horses? Hobbyhorsing could be a solution to that. This sport involves jumping patterns or doing dressage tests similar to those in the equestrian sport, but the competitor is on foot and holds a hobby horse instead. This sport is much cheaper than riding real horses, is probably safer, and looks like an awesome workout!

48. Spikeball is a fun new sport that you’ll see people playing at cottages or on the beach. It’s like a miniature version of volleyball except you play with less players and the net is a flat circle that sits on the ground. Teams take turn volleying the ball back-and-forth and then spike it onto the net. If the other team doesn’t return the ball, the first team scores a point.

49. Ride-on lawn mower racing is a run option for those who live in the country and might have access to ride on lawn mowers they don’t need to actually mow their lawns. This sport is intense, but relatively safe. Get a group of friends together and strap on a helmet, find a dirt track and you’re ready to go!

50. Hurdling involves running a certain distance on a track while jumping over evenly spaced out hurdles at the same time. This sport combines speed and agility to see who the fastest competitor is. Take this up if you have limber joints and aren’t afraid to fall once or twice.

@quinoal

51. Jet ski racing doesn’t sound like it would be a sport,  but why not? Take your Sea-Doos out in the summer and put on a race with your friends. Set a start and a finish, make sure you have a safe path and make a day of it. Make sure the loser has to put the Sea-Doos back on the trailer at the end of the day!

52. Kabaddi is a unique form of tag, in which there are two teams. Teams take turns sending someone into the other team’s half. This person is supposed to tag as many players on the other team as possible without taking a breath. To prove they’re not breathing, they chant a word (usually Kabaddi) over and over again while tagging others. Those who are tagged leave the field.

53. Lawn bowling is played by throwing balls along the lawn and trying to get them as close to another stationary ball as possible. This can be played with as many people as you want, and you can choose your own rules if you please.

54. Longboarding is the new skateboarding. Longboards are bigger than skateboards. You can choose to compete in races, or simply learn to partake in this sport for fun or transportation. Longboarding can also be done in a group, just make sure everyone knows how to use their brakes.

55. Long jump is a track and field sport which consists of running a few lengths down a track and jumping into a sand pit. There is lots of technique and skill required to be good at this. The perk is there is a soft landing, so even if you fall you probably wont hurt yourself… badly, at least.

56. The Horse Versus Man Marathon is a popular sport in Wales. The cool part is you can compete on foot, on bike or on a horse. The marathon is 22 miles long, as was designed to contest the idea that humans can keep pace with a horse over long distances. Be prepared to put in lots of training for this one, over long distance and different terrain.

57. You’ve heard of thumb-wars, I’m sure. But have you heard or toe wrestling? The sport involves two people linking feet and trying to capture the other’s toe. This is a great sport if you like minimal contact, and don’t mind touching someone else’s foot with your own.

58. Pillow fights are a sleepover staple, but turns out they’re a sport as well. This one is easy enough to set some rules for and have a competitive evening with the family. Since you’ve most likely got pillows lying around. Team up, or have a one versus one competition. See who can break a pillow first, or make it a rule that no feathers can go flying. The world is your oyster… pillow?

@allentaylorjr

59. Cycle-ball is a sport that involves four players playing soccer… on bicycles. There is specific equipment for this game, however you could easily play with a regular bike and ball. Adhere to the same rules as soccer, and try to score those goals!

60. Cardboard tube fighting league. This sounds like one for the kids, or for the boys when their girlfriends aren’t around. Grab some toilet paper and paper towel tubes, and make yourself a sword out of them. Maybe make a few swords... because I doubt they’ll last. Now you can fight your friends with them. This seems like the ideal sport to partake in at any age.

61. Newcomb ball, aka don’t drop it. This game involves throwing a ball back and forth, waiting for either team to drop it. If you don’t have enough people to form teams, you can play against the other people with you and make it an “every man for himself” sort of competition. Or you can play a friendly game like in Friends, where you just don’t drop the ball for hours on end.

62. Archery tag is a game similar to paintball, but involves blunt arrows instead of paintballs. Participants gear up for safety purposes, and spread out on a course to hide from the opposing team or other players. They then fire arrows at each other until one side loses. This game is fun to play here and there, but will require some financial commitment if you’d like to play regularly.

63. Parkour seems risky but can actually be done very safely, while still being fun. When learning how to do parkour, start slowly and work your way up. If something seems too big a risk, simply don’t try the feat. One doesn’t need to jump from high rise to high rise in order to be good at parkour.

64. Pigeon racing was invented to find a use for the birds so many find annoying. This sport involves owning a pigeon, training it to return to a location, and then having said pigeon complete that route faster than all the other pigeons. Think you’re cut out for it? This one can truly be entered at any age, since the pigeon does all the flying.

65. Combined driving is another horse-involved sport. It involves hooking one to four horses up to a carriage and driving it through three phases. There are often two people in the carriage, one guiding the horses with reins and another throwing their weight to help turn the carriage. The three phases are dressage, cross-country, and an obstacle course of cones. This is a high intensity sport, but it’s a lot of fun.

66.  A great sport to try if you’re looking for a serious challenge is quadrathlon. This comprises of four phases: swimming, kayaking, cycling, and running. You can choose between sprint, short, or long distance. This way you can perform within your limits. The sport also requires little equipment.

67. Roller blading is a fun outdoor sport that requires little stamina and strength to get started. There are lots of protective gear options available to help you stay as safe as possible when roller blading.

68. Synchronized swimming is a great workout while working in a team to create a beautiful performance. Dancing in water lessens the impact, making it easier on joints if you are worried about injury. 

69. Skipping rope may not seem like a traditional sport but it can be very competitive. Set goals for yourself, compete with friends, or enter into actual competitions. This sport is great cardio and will work your leg muscles a lot. Invest in a good rope for happy skipping.

70. Shuffleboard is a team sport that involves sending a weighted puck along a scoreboard using your body weight and a stick to push the disk. The stick helps lessen the impact of the sport making it easier to play than some others if you have a limited range of motion or want a low impact sport.

@joshstyle

71. Aquajogging involves running within a body of water. You’re required to keep an upright position while doing so. The sport was originally designed for the elderly or for patients undergoing rehabilitation, as it is less stressful on the body. It is now a highly competitive sport. The sport is predominantly done in a pool, and special belts are worn to maintain an upright position.

72. Biribol is the aquatic version of volleyball. It was invented in Brazil. It is usually played in a pool with specific dimensions, but can easily be played at home or in a local pool with a net. Each team comprises of two to four players, using a ball slightly smaller than a traditional volleyball.

73. Crossfit can be started at any age. The sport involves high intensity workouts that are done quickly, usually in three rounds of three exercises. Find a gym or crossfit buddy who values safety and good form. In doing so you’ll ensure you get to enjoy the sport in the healthiest way possible.

74. Cup stacking might sound like a party game, but it’s a real sport. The sport involves stacking cups in a specific sequence. Special cups and weight mats are used to time the stacking activities. One can play in a team, solo, or relay style.

75. Cyclo-cross is winter bike racing! Imagine riding your bike through snow. That’s this sport. Races consist of a course that spans a few miles, and contestants loop the track several times. The track contains varied terrains, with 10% of most courses requiring the rider to get off. This is a relatively intense sport, but can be really fun for the avid cycler looking to up their game. 

@dajax