Thu 14 Dec 2006 12:00:51a
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So, what games did you play in the schoolyard and on the street?
For me, active variety: Red Rover, Colored Eggs, Tag, Freeze Tag, Shadow Tag, Statue Maker, Two Square or Four Square, Hide and Go Seek, Touch Football, backyard baseball (usually with a whiffle ball), badminton, ping pong, jump rope, croquet, hop scotch.
Small stuff: Marbles, jacks
I hardly ever see kids playing any of those anymore.
In my neighborhood, however, kids shoot baskets, play 'intersection baseball' usually in the workup form, and hide and go seek with either flashlights or walkie talkies. It's great when we get hide and go seek going because the teenagers join in, too. But we don't get it going as often as we used to. And most of our intersection baseball players are now playing for their high school teams.
I found the little metal jacks finally for my grand daughters. So that's one of the gifts that will be in their stockings this Christmas.
I think (but have no hard evidence) that kids play far fewer simple games than they used to, in terms of things like Two Square or Jacks or Red Rover. Games are more organized and often demand a lot more equipment.
Okay, everyone, time to change the world this month. Teach at least one kid an old fasnioned game, of your choice. Board games included.
Report back in January about how many children you have converted. :)
Robin
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