Writing about the dolls gave me good memories of my childhood. Not only did I play with dolls, but we played outside whenever we could in the neighborhood and stayed out until we were called inside. We played touch football, basketball, and baseball in the yard. We climbed trees, rode our bicycles, and saw pictures in the clouds. The girls who lived on each side of our house were three years older than I and used to taunt me by telling me I hadn't lived until I could ride a bicycle, go to school, wear make-up, date, and anything else they could do before I could. They didn't do that often but just at the stage where they first got to do those things.
My favorite doll was my Toni doll. I also spent a lot of time reading, and so did my son, who also played outside with neighbors. He had Transformers, Star Wars models, Tonka toys, Hot Wheels, and a ton of comic books. What toys did you play with as a child? What activities did you do? Did anyone else turn over your swing set by swinging too high and let it "buck" too far besides me? I used to hang by my knees on those side bars and on the swing part made for that.
9 comments:
Did you play with jacks? My pals and I played for hours with those.
I also liked to wear my mom's discarded lipstick and dress in her discarded dresses and high heels.
Roller skated, jumped rope, played hopscotch, read a lot too.
We walked on cans with string looped thru holes on the sides.
Memories!
Ah yeah, we did all those things. And fished off the dock for nasty catfish that we always threw back. And laid under trees and looked at clouds. And played Tarzan and War in the woods. And marbles in the dirt road. And jacks on the terrazo floor.
We explored the jungles and dreamed of pirate treasure. It was beautiful.
The one childhood game I took into adulthood is making 'fairy gardens'. My grandparents had a cabin on a river and we used to go hunting for fairy gardens. A toadstool, a tiny maidenhair fern and a pretty rock - fairies!!
When the island in the pond was 'young' I had a little house out there with a tied up boat and a frog with a fishing pole. Iris went crazy and took over.
I have made a couple in washtubs and have been collecting stuff for them. This year I don't have one because of the new siding and soon painting projects. Also need to set up a new deck garden - temporary this year.
I also have a Halloween fairy garden that I set up in the front in the fall.
Yes, I had a similar "outdoorsy" childhood. I had male cousins who were close in age, so I was very much a tomboy. If we weren't running around and playing forts, we were riding our bikes all over the place...without helmets! LOL I was also a reader, and spent lots of alone time laying in my little spot on the hillside reading my current book. I feel very fortunate that I had what was pretty much an idyllic childhood. Hugs, Beth
Hi,
Found your blog through Time Goes By blog. I love your photo of the Smokey Mountains. One of my favorite places.
Welcome, MissDazey! Mine, too!
Dress-up was fun, Gigi.
Yes, Beth, without helmets! (no seat belts in cars, either)
Yes, you did, FP!
Sounds great, Ms. Moon!
I loved my dolls. I had a Baby Tender Love doll that a favorite...so was Tubsy. and The Sunshine Family. My friend Elly and I would play for HOURS with our Sunshine Family dolls. I had a house and a truck and all kinds of stuff for them. I loved them so much, that a few years ago, I bought a new set of them on Ebay! I take them out every once ina while...and playing house and school, and running all over the neighborhood. and reading. I read like a banshee even way back them. Charlotte's Web, Stuart LIttle, Miss Hickory, The Dolls House...the LIttle House books. I still read them today.
I also remembering playing outdoors unsupervised until nearly dark. I loved riding my bike, playing with Matchbox cars, playing Hide and Seek with the neighbors, and running through the sprinkler on hot days. Most kids can't imagine such things, thanks to cable TV, electronic games and the internet.
I remember most of the things these folks are adding to the list. I recall all the things that monkey bars could become: ships, forts,,mountains, circus rigs,clubs with sections for best friends and new friends, literally a jungle to be monkeys,castles,etc.
In gov't projects we were divided into streets, and each street had it's alleged "gang" You knew you'd get beat up if you went to Metcalf Drive.
But mostly we played out fantasies in the woods and fields and all assumed various roles.
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