🛸 Frisbees: The Original Flying Saucer

In our modern times of high-tech gadgets & scheduled activities, it can be easy to forget that the best memories often come from the simplest, most spontaneous forms of play. This is what truly makes the humble Frisbee the ultimate low-cost, high-reward activity that requires only a bit of open space & a willing partner, turning any random destination into a playground.

The enduring & nostalgic beauty of the Frisbee lies in its versatile charm, which is just as appealing to traveling adults as it is to active children. Having grown up taking this same classic disc on my own adventures & travels, I have found it to be one of the most portable, durable, effortless & especially useful items to pack. 

Part of the magic of the Frisbee is its accessibility. It requires no special equipment, no membership, no lessons. It’s a sport, a handy toy, a performance tool, & a simple way to pass time with friends or family.  It's something a person can discover as a young person, to later admire as the disc adapts to their life.

Physics Over Gravity

The original Frisbee creator designed his 'Flying Saucer' magical toy with a distinct, aerodynamic edge. It stays up in the air for two cool reasons:

Surfs on the Air (Lift)

The Frisbee is curved on top & flat on the bottom. When you throw it, the air has to race over the top curve really fast. This creates a special 'invisible vacuum' that sucks the disc upward, while the air underneath pushes it up like a hand. 

Magic Spin (Stability)

If you spin a top, it stays perfectly upright. When you flick your wrist, the Frisbee spins like a top. This spin makes it 'stubborn' & it doesn't want to tip over or wobble. The faster it spins, the smoother it flies!

“Catch life with the agility of a dog trying to get a hold of the flying Frisbee!” ~ Mehmet Murat Ildan

Physical, Mental, & Emotional Benefits

Playing with a Frisbee is a fantastic workout because it combines fun play with deep physical & mental development, providing 'subtle' exercise where one often doesn't realize they're strengthening their bodies. 

Total Body Workout: Throwing uses arms, shoulders, & core, while catching often involves jumping & reaching. Running & sprinting to retrieve the disc provide excellent cardiovascular exercise.

Coordination & Agility: Tracking a flying disc & timing a catch significantly improves hand-eye coordination & motor skills. The quick directional changes boosts agility & reflexes.

Strength & Flexibility: The winding up motion for a throw builds upper body power & grip strength, while navigating uneven playing fields improves balance & stability. 

Focus & Concentration: Precision throwing requires intense mental focus & the ability to ignore distractions.

Self-Esteem & Social Skills: Mastering a new throw or making a difficult catch provides a boost in self-confidence. Group play fosters camaraderie, cooperation, & communication.

Stress Relief: Physical activity outdoors releases endorphins, which help reduce anxiety & improve overall mood.

 

Disc-tastic Fun Games

Frisbee Water Race: Fill the disc with water & race to a finish line without spilling a drop.

Frisbee Bocce: Throw a small ball (the jack) & see who can land their disc closest to it.

Balloon Keep-Up: Use the flat side of the Frisbee like a paddle to tap a balloon & keep it in the air.

Musical Frisbee: A variation of musical chairs where players pass the disc over chairs while music plays; when it stops, the person holding it is out.

Target Hula-Hoop: Hang hula-hoops from tree branches & award different point values for throwing the disc through them. 

“I was standing in the park wondering why the Frisbee was getting closer & closer. Then it hit me.” ~ Young-Joon Choi

Ridisculous Useful Hacks

Coin/Small Item Holder: Useful as a tray for loose change, charging cables, or other small items to keep them from rolling around.

Portable Dry Seat: When the ground is wet or dirty, the disc can be used as a small, dry surface to sit on or a platform to stand on while changing shoes or clothes outdoors. 

Water Collector/Scoop: In a pinch, the basin can be used to collect water (such as morning dew wiped from leaves) or to scoop water out of a canoe or kayak.

Emergency Signal: A brightly colored Frisbee with reflective tape can be used as an emergency signaling device.

Plate/Bowl: Fit paper plate inside or use as a pet dish in an upside down Frisbee at outside gatherings.

Cutting Board: Use as a flat, sturdy surface for slicing fruit, cheese, or vegetables without them rolling off.

Laptop Lap Desk: Place it upside-down on your lap to act as a heat guard between your thighs & a warm laptop.

Plant Saucer: It works efficiently as a tray under flower pots to catch excess water. 

Sweet Tins & Space Craze Inspirations

First introduced to Americans in 1957, the Frisbee was inspired by the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, founded by William Russell Frisbie in the 1870s. His lightweight pie tins were embossed with the family name.

Budding visionary college students in the 1920s created a game with the pie tins when they discovered they flew well & would shout 'Frisbie!' as a warning to passersby.

In the 1950s, Walter Frederick Morrison, a Los Angeles, California building inspector determined to capitalize on the Hollywood obsession with UFOs, designed a lightweight plastic disc based on the bakery's pie tins.

He sold the rights to Wham-O Manufacturing Company which led to the first mass-produced disc, called the 'Pluto Platter'. They eventually renamed the disc 'Frisbee' after hearing the informal game slang, but they intentionally misspelled it ~ changing the 'ie' to 'ee' ~ to avoid legal issues with the original pie bakery.

Later in life Morrison, the mastermind behind the flying disc, decided he didn't just want to be remembered for his creation, he wanted to become it. After his death in 2010, his family honored his request by having his ashes mixed & pressed into a batch of limited edition Frisbees for family & friends.

This unique, personal, & fitting tribute ensured that the inventor of the Frisbee continues to be a part of the game. 

“We're starting our own religion at last. The Order of Frisbeetarians. We believe that when you die, your soul ascends to a rooftop & you can never get it back.” ~ Bono

Did you have a simple, favorite toy from your childhood? 

🥚Egg-cellent ~ Beyond the Boil

 

Electric Egg Steam Cooker

Includes cooking plates to make up to seven hard, medium, or soft boiled eggs or to poach or make an omelet. Includes a combo measuring cup/egg piercer.

Was looking for an easier, more versatile way to enjoy hardboiled eggs without a lot of preparation. Also enjoy deviled eggs but didn't want to make a large amount. I was impressed with the design & multitude of features. 

* Not sponsored content. All opinions are my own.

Alarm

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Measuring cup is the only thing needing improvement. Piercing needle is smart but it's cap could easily be lost. The (essential) markings of the exact amount of water (for how long the unit will heat up) is rubbing off.

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Works beautifully & is exactly what I wanted. Easily steams eggs to perfection. Deviled eggs on demand. Perfect for salads. Fill your eggs to-go quickly out the door with all the best fillings. Since it steams so well, I tried vegetables like corn on the cob & wasn't disappointed. Easy to understand instructions. Good choice for a small kitchen as it doesn't take up much room. Would buy again or give as a gift.

Prices & styles vary. I only paid $13 for mine.  Amazon

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