I thought it would be fun to find out from our members around the world, what kind of games they played as a kid? I have 2 older brothers so being the smallest, I was always getting picked on. But there were 2 games that I excelled at. Hide and Seek and Tag. The only reason I won at these all the time was that I was not allergic to poison ivy! And both of my brothers are deathly allergic to it. All they had to do was look at it and they would start itching. So at Hide and Seek I would always lay down and hide in a big patch of Poison Ivy. And the same with tag, I would run into the middle of it and set down and they couldn't tag me.
I remember playing conkers in autumn and making up plays with my friend in summer and dressing up. I played british bull dogs which I was awful at. I tended to enjoy games I could play myself such as tennis against a wall or playing with my dolls, I do seem to have spent much more time outdoors using my imagination than kids do now and I am only 30 so not a big generation difference really.
Our school games were Tag, running bases around the school yard and indoor games like Checkers, a board game and Monopoly, though I went to Jail every time.
Wasn't that cheating Capt? I used to play Tip a lot which is the same as Tag ("Tip you're on!" when you got caught) and sometimes Hide and Seek. I used to also play Piggyback where you carry someone on your back and they try to knock off the other team's 'rider'. As for board games there was Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, Game of Life, Draughts/Checkers, Chess. When computer games came along my participation in such games diminished a bit. We also invented a games call Squoccer which was a combination between Squash and Soccer. Kids are inventive!
We played Red Rover a lot at recess when I was in elementary school. The game even has it's own Wikipedia page and it says the game has been banned in many schools. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rover And Tetherball, we had several Tetherball poles on the playground. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetherball I played Hop Scotch on the sidewalk at home. Ooooh, and Jacks. I loved playing Jacks and was very good too. And Pick-up sticks, that was a favorite.
I have no idea what I played, at least not in English. Tag and hide-and-seek of course. Jumping ropes, and the games with those long elastic bands, where we jumped a certain way and the point was to not touch the bands or step on them. One game was about getting around a house without the "guardian" seeing you move at all. We also used to divide up in two teams and throw a ball over a garage roof. The game was called "Henty over" and a big part was to sneak around and hit one from the other team with the ball to get them to our side. One team should have all the players in the end. Hopscotch and varieties were also popular, and many more.
Wow blast from the past Toni, I used to play that also I wasn't very good at breaking the chain and also I used to weaken my link to let the "heavier" players through easier to prevent injury!
We played many games both inside and out. Outside ones were things like Hide and Seek, Tag, Peevers, Hula Hoops, Conkers, Skipping, rounders and assorted ball games. Inside the games were Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly. Luda, Draughts and different card games. My children all played many of these games too. :-D
Pre teen games we played, included "cowboys and Indians". "Hide and seek" (after dark), with flash lights. In the winter, we played "girl tag", on ice skates, (only for the boys). If you had hold of a girl, (any girl) you were safe, I don't think that the girls were too crazy about that game. There was vacant land in the neighborhood, and we played "baseball" a lot, & Some "Flag Football". We played "tag" on bicycles. Indoors we played "Ping Pong", "Pool", Foosball & "Air Hockey", the usual board and card games, but for the most part, games that involved activity, not sitting at a table. Tom
I played Red Rover,Tag,Hide and Seek, Simon Says,May I ,Cow Boys and Indians, so many all with cousins and brother.There was always cousins at my home on weekends.When I'm with Shirley Darlene,Fran ,Velta,Sissy,and and Pat it brings all the fun we all had.Lots of them are gone but I will never forget them.Capt you brought back so many great memories for me.Thank You.
My husband has told me about conkers...That just seems painful! I played kick the can, hide and seek, my brother and I would play in the woods and build traps and houses and be hunters..lots and lots of board games...just hours and hours of imaginative play.
This covers several years ...at home I played Hop Scotch, Jacks, Hide and Seek, Tag, May I, Red Rover, Simon Says, Monopoly, Checkers,Hoola-Hoop. At school we played Dodge Ball, Tetherball in which I excelled! When I see a Tetherball set in a store today, it sure brings back memories! Thanks Capt. for starting this post!
One of the reasons I started this was to not only bring back memories, but to see how much of a difference there is to how our generations played compared to how the latest generation plays. From what I can see, we were very very active, always outdoors and running around, even in winter. Now when in town, I see very few kids outside playing or running or jumping. Even with having to help work on the farm, I still played activity games. When we got tired of the regular games, we made up our own. From what I can see, kids for the most part do a lot of setting, even when they are playing. One thing that dosn't help is that they have done away with Physical education and in some schools even recess.
You are right Capt. Kids today are stuck in front of their computer (hehe..like we are) for hours and hours playing games. Or in front of the TV. That is what is concerning doctors and some parents, that their kids are over weight and not as healthy as kids of our generation. Well I don't mean to get off the subject of the post. But we were indeed an active bunch and it was fun. Running and playing late at night to see who could catch the most lightening bugs. Our parents were on the porch talking and visiting with neighbors... Aah the good old days.
I wish we could mate the comforts and science of today with the healthier life style of our childhood. That would be perfect.
