The Games we played - Page 4

Margaret Pilkington · 30-12-2009, 20:54

I don't remember 'tinny' barrie....maybe we were too poor to afford tins

And yes, they were happy days...with a penny loaf and a ha'penny spanish.

shillelagh · 31-12-2009, 00:38

sevenses ... with a tennis ball .. used to drive the owners of the house nuts .. with the ball banging against their house. catch the ball, if you drop it you have to give the others a go .. or if playing on your own then restart at the beginning of that number .. 7's was just plain catch, 6's was letting it bounce once, 5 was bouncing it 5 times, 4 chucking at the floor to bounce against the wall, 3 bounce once and then pat it to the wall and catch it, 2's was chuck it at the wall and bounce it twice then catch it, 1's was chucking it at the wall and turning round while it was in flight, then restart again clapping once ...

tig ... kiss chase ... tyre/rope swing across the brook,

mattylad · 31-12-2009, 14:13

As said above kid's are not allowed to play the games we used to play, they are prevented from playing them and they have nowhere to play them either.

The streets are too dangerous now with too many high speed vehicles on them, the areas that kids used to play on have all gone because they have been developed or just plain removed.

What games the kids do play they just get in trouble for, they get shouted at and told to sod off elsewhere, they cannot even just hang around with nowt to do as they get moved on.

No wonder they prefer to be inside (where its safer & warm) where we their parents can keep an eye on them & stop them coming to harm etc.

If only my youngest would go outside & play, although not quite just outside as we live on a main road I don't want him run over, & the nearest area has a little kiddies park in it, not much use for bigger kids.
The area more of use to him is just a basketball court or perhaps a BMX track, neither what he wishes to do, any other kids that are around he does not know so yes he spends his fun time on his computer or Xbox.

In fact given that he has always been a withdrawn & quiet lad using the Xbox (live) and the PC with live chat has made him more chatty online, he has loads of mates he talks to every day & has completely come out of his shell as well as building some excellent skills that will help him in his later career life.

In fact using the PC really helped him with a lot of things, he has excellent grammar skills all developed by using the PC, I have seen logs of his online conversations & they are way above those of others.

So while they may not be playing the games that us older ones did, the games they do play are equally as good, ball games help with coordination - you should see the coordination from playing video games - its brill.

And who's to blame for our kids not having anywhere to play or anything to do?
The adults....

As for football etc, its fine when your in an environment for football like a school playing field with suitable adults around you but the moment you go elsewhere your told to sod off again or you get adult thugs come & ruin it for you.

Barrie Yates · 01-01-2010, 22:37

Well said mattylad - yes we had an idyllic childhood - my first banana in '47 or so, my first candy floss that year in Weston -s - Mare. There were pervs around but we kids stuck together and looked after each other. We all went out in a crowd and we all stayed together - No, we weren't angels but we were happy children.