What did kids do to amuse themselves and have fun before the advent of television? And before video games? They did what people do: They made do with what was available and used their heads to think of other things to do. Movies were available, when we were allowed to go. Television was in its early beginning stages when I was a child. But it was just a blip on the radar screen, and few people had even heard of it yet. It didn’t come into prominence until after World War II.
In warm weather we spent most of any free time we had playing outdoors during long summer days. Some of the games we played were marbles, hop scotch, mumblety peg, tag, annie over, or some kind of ball game if there were enough kids to play. And generally just talking, yelling and running around.
Indoors: Evenings after supper, we read, played games and listened to the radio. In 1933 we moved from a small town out into the country. There was no electricity in most rural areas until after World War II, but we had a battery powered radio to keep an ear on the world. Programs we listened to were: Sgt Preston of the Yukon [may not be the exact name], Jack Armstrong - All American Boy, Gang Busters, Dick Tracy, The Lux Theater, Amos and Andy, Lum and Abner, Fibber Magee and Molly, The Shadow. There may be others that I haven’t thought of.
Most of these were 30 minute shows; one or two might have been 15 minutes, not sure. I think Sgt Preston and Jack Armstrong were daily shows along about the time we had our evening meal. They may have been 15 minutes. The other shows were weekly. We didn’t sit grouped around the radio to listen, but often engaged in other activities, such as children’s card games, or checkers while we listened to the fascinating tales of adventure. Ooops! How could I forget dominoes!
During the day, my mother kept up with a few to a few daily soap operas as she did her household tasks. Those that I remember were: Ma Perkins, Our Gal Sunday and Helen Trent.
In the winter when much more time was spent indoors, there was usually a jigsaw puzzle in various stages of completion. When a puzzle was finished, another was set up. Everybody wanted to put in the last piece, and when the puzzle was near completion, almost everyone had a hold out puzzle piece in his/her pocket. More later.
I know most of the games you mentioned and played many of the, too. I always liked hopscotch and used to do it outside at recess with the kids when I was an elementary principal. They were delighted and couldn't believe "the principal" could do hopscotch. I also liked to jump rope and would "jump in" whenever I could during their recess time. Thinking about those games brings back fond memories both as a child and an adult!
ReplyDeleteI remember only a few of the radio shows, specifically "The Shadow" and "The Lone Ranger." The others were "before my time!"