Everyone has fond memories of what they did as children, and children's pastimes have so changed from what they used to be. Here are some of the things I did as a child. This shows how much things have changed over time.
When I was little I played with "pick-up sticks" (made of wood, not plastic); or dolls (that looked like babies); or paper dolls (are these even sold anymore?), or jacks. I remember hanging blankets on our outdoor clotheslines to make a "house" to play in. Boys usually were found playing marbles (do they even do that anymore?)
I had roller skates that clamped on the soles of my shoes, and I had to be careful not to lose the "key" for the skates. Kids played hopscotch or croquet or hide 'n seek, or horseshoes, or jump rope or tetherball. Tire swings were fun too (we don't see those anymore).
Most children were at home with their families at dinnertime. As a family we listened to Dagwood and Blondie or Amos and Andy on the radio and ate lots of popcorn. Families spent more time together.
We didn't have television, fast food, felt pens, portable radios, electronic games, computers, cell phones, or skateboards. And young people often picked berries in summer or delivered newspapers to earn a little money.
I remember soda fountains in drug stores (these were a real treat), and 5-cent ice cream cones at the corner grocery. I used to buy comic books with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck or Felix the Cat. Also popular were "Big Little Books" of Popeye, Little Orphan Annie or Dick Tracy. These were so fun to collect.
Children spent more time outdoors, read more and were more creative with their time. In memory, those were good years.
© 2008 Arlene Schwartzkopf