[Gibb]

We had the largest front yard in our neighborhood. So after school the kids came to play Dodgeball. Great times

 

[TriciaR]

Jacks..I was addicted to jacks and a master of the game. My friends and I would play in the street where we rarely had cars.

Thanks so much for sharing @Ahbee2three ! Jacks really takes us back, doesn’t it? It’s amazing how something so simple could keep us entertained for hours. Being a “master of the game” sounds impressive—did you have a favorite trick or technique that always wowed your friends? And how wonderful that you could play safely in the street—do you remember any other games you’d play out there?

 

[TriciaR]

Hide and seek, kick ball and kick the can they all played outside with neighbors. We were outside from am to pm everyday, only going home to eat and to use the bathroom. I remember those days they were fun

Thank you for sharing those lovely memories @ccolpitts05 ! It sounds like such a joyful and carefree time—playing outside all day with the neighborhood kids really was something special. Hide and seek, kick ball, and kick the can—classic favorites! Did you have a favorite hiding spot or a game you were especially good at? And do you still keep in touch with any of those childhood friends?

 

[TriciaR]

Simon says

Thanks for sharing @Gaye18 ! Simon Says was such a fun game—and a sneaky way to build listening skills too! Were you usually the one giving the commands or trying to keep up without getting caught out? Do you remember the funniest or trickiest command someone ever gave?

 

[TriciaR]

I loved playing hide and seek in the 60's. We were able to stay out late in the summer. We would hide in the shadows and laugh when people just passed us by.

Thank you for sharing that beautiful memory @mmarple ! There’s something magical about playing hide and seek on warm summer nights—especially with the thrill of hiding in the shadows and trying not to giggle when someone walked right past! Do you remember your best hiding spot? Or was there ever a time someone stayed hidden so well, everyone gave up looking?

 

[TriciaR]

Simon says.

Thanks for sharing @Nanjude ! Simon Says was always such a blast—and sometimes harder than it looked! Did you have a favorite move or command you liked to use when it was your turn to be Simon? Or maybe a funny moment when someone got tricked?

 

[TriciaR]

Hop Scotch

Thanks so much for sharing @Cisea ! Hopscotch was such a fun mix of balance, focus, and just plain joy. Did you draw your own hopscotch grid with chalk, or did you have a favorite spot where it was already marked? And do you remember what you used as your marker—was it a rock, a bottle cap, or something else?

 

[TriciaR]

Chinese jump rope. We would use a chair when we only had 2 people.

Thanks for sharing @sherbabe11* ! Chinese jump rope was such a fun and fast-paced game—so clever to use a chair when you were short a person! Did you and your friends have any special moves or routines you tried to master? And was there a level that always got everyone giggling or tangled up?

 

[TriciaR]

We loved kitty kick the can, monopoly and a girls' softball team!!!!

Thanks so much for sharing @Boo ! That sounds like a wonderful mix of games—Kick the Can for outdoor fun, Monopoly for those intense indoor battles, and being part of a girls’ softball team must’ve been such a great experience! Do you remember what position you played on the team? And was there ever a Monopoly game that lasted for days?

 

[TriciaR]

Outside games for sure! S. P. U.D. ( ball game fyi) …. Flashlight tag … capture the flag (at. The stables where we took lessons, capture the flag on HORSEBACK was wild and fun!!!

Wow—thanks so much for sharing @hmaj ! Those outside games sound like a total blast—SPUD, flashlight tag, and capture the flag are already fun on foot, but on horseback?! That sounds absolutely epic! Were the horses part of the fun, or did they sometimes have minds of their own during the game? And do you still ride or visit the stables now and then?

 

[TriciaR]

Red rover

Thanks for sharing @CGV ! Red Rover was such a thrilling game—nothing like the suspense of hearing your name called and then running full speed ahead! Did you have a special tactic for breaking through the line? Or do you remember a time someone surprised everyone with an epic dash?

 

[TriciaR]

Monopoly and double Dutch jump rope

Thanks so much for sharing @Wellman ! Monopoly was the ultimate rainy-day game—and Double Dutch always looked so impressive (and tricky!). Were you more of a property tycoon or someone who just loved collecting the little tokens? And with jump rope—did you have any favorite rhymes or fancy moves you were proud of?

 

[TriciaR]

Red Rover

Thanks for sharing @dkleslie52 ! Red Rover really brought out the competitive spirit, didn’t it? There was always that mix of nerves and excitement when your name was called! Did you prefer being the runner or holding the line? And do you remember any epic breakaways or hilarious tumbles?

 

[TriciaR]

Kick the can.

Thanks for sharing @Jimvk3 ! Kick the Can was such a classic—part hide-and-seek, part tag, and always full of excitement! Did you have a favorite hiding spot that no one could ever find? Or do you remember a time when someone made an epic dash to kick the can just in time?

 

[TriciaR]

We lived 1 house from a T shaped intersection. We played baseball using the sewer lids and grates curbside as bases. The best part of summer was staying out until the street lights came on. That was at 10pm where we lived.
Our next favorite game was marbles. I had a cool looking collection of them. Just use a piece of string for the boundary and start winning a bunch more marbles. In tooting my own horn, I was the neighborhood champ! After a few years of being unbeatable no one wanted to play with me anymore. They didn’t want to spend their allowance on marbles they wouldn’t be able to keep! I had a great streak while it lasted! Yea me!
Playing H.O.R.S.E. a basketball game was challenging for me but by the end of each summer I was pretty good. When the next summer came around I started out lousy all over again. Boo hoo.
There was a creek behind 1 of the houses. We played a lot in it, catching pollywogs and frogs. We let them go as quickly as we caught them. Being able to catch them in your hands was the big thrill!
Growing up in the 50’s was wonderful!

Thank you so much for sharing such vivid and joyful memories @Gayle B. —you really painted a beautiful picture of summer in the ’50s! Sewer lids as bases, marbles with a string boundary, and late nights under the streetlights—it all sounds like pure childhood magic. Being the neighborhood marble champ is no small feat—go you! Do you still have any of your winning marbles tucked away somewhere? And I love that even though H.O.R.S.E. was tricky at first, you always worked your way back into shape by summer’s end. That kind of determination is inspiring! Catching pollywogs and frogs sounds like such a carefree adventure—did you ever name any of your little catches before letting them go?

 

[TriciaR]

Hopscotch and jumprope

Thanks so much for sharing @Marilea ! Hopscotch and jump rope were such simple joys—yet they could keep us entertained for hours! Did you draw your own hopscotch grids with chalk, or have a favorite spot to play? And with jump rope, did you do it solo or with friends chanting rhymes while turning the rope? I’d love to hear if you had a go-to rhyme or trick!

 

[TriciaR]

Hopscotch, mother may I? Red light green light, Chinese jump rope. Miss them all!

Thanks so much for sharing @Saltymermaid3* ! What a wonderful mix of childhood favorites—Hopscotch, Mother May I?, Red Light Green Light, and Chinese Jump Rope—all such classics that brought so much joy. It’s amazing how those simple games created such strong memories. Was there one that you were especially good at or loved playing the most? And do you ever find yourself teaching these to grandkids or little ones today?

 

[TriciaR]

Jump rope and hop scotch were the favorites in my neighborhood!

Thanks for sharing @Geri ! Jump rope and hopscotch really brought the neighborhood together, didn’t they? There was always a mix of laughter, friendly competition, and plenty of chalk and tangled ropes! Did you have a favorite jump rope rhyme or a special trick you were proud of? And was there a go-to spot where everyone gathered to play?

 

[TriciaR]

Tag and hop scotch

Thanks so much for sharing @Wheream1? ! Tag and hopscotch—what a perfect combo of running wild and focused fun! Did you have a favorite version of tag, like freeze tag or TV tag? And with hopscotch, do you remember what you used as your marker—was it a rock, a coin, or something more creative?

 

[TriciaR]

Hide and seek was number one. No one could find me.
Ringolevio
Double Dutch jump rope
Red rover
Simon says
Red light, green light

Thanks so much for sharing @Hazeleyes —what a fantastic lineup of games! Sounds like you were the undisputed hide-and-seek champion—now I’m curious, what was your secret hiding spot that no one could ever find? Ringolevio is such a classic too—not everyone remembers that one! And between Double Dutch, Red Rover, and Simon Says, it sounds like your neighborhood was full of energy and fun. Do you ever look back and think, “Wow, we really had the best childhood”?