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Myles Garc
I'm trying to make a power point for a class, and one of the slides include info on "Games of the Great Depression". Were there even games played during that era? If so, then was there some popular ones. What was their appeal then, and are any of those games still played today?
If anyone could answer at least one of these, possibly all of them, that would be super!
Answer
Since times were very tough and many kids also worked to help their families, games were "low cost games". Mostly played out on the sidewalk or streets; stickball with sewer covers as bases, etc; marbles played out in dirt, sidewalks, etc; anything with homemade balls and homemade toys dolls, trucks,etc.. Remember hardly anyone had cars so you really didn't have to worry about cars on side streets.
Played hide and seek; Ring- A -Lario; Jump the "Donkey, Horse or whatever". 2 or 3 kids started at the bottom bracing themselves against a wall,. Hands out against the wall, slightly bent over to form the base. Then one by one, other kids tried to get a head start and then jump on top, then another next to him/her. Then a kid would try to get on top of them. It was making a human pyramid & you couldn't really stay that way for long, with kids on top of you & then someone else jumping & shaking everyone not steady. Usually, you started falling over & then joined by the others. There was no sense to the game, really, but the laughter was continuous & contagious.
I learned about a lot of these street games when I was in college & did a paper on the depression & interviewed people. Also, some kids had junky, old bikes & bike riding was not only a delivery job for most but also a great sport as was running together through parks. Simple stuff mostly, thought up by kids. They went swimming locally in rivers, bays & some in lakes & oceans. Also, pollution was really not an issue then because testing & knowledge and money didn't exist for it to be an issue.
There were paper dolls with wardrobes where girls would cut out the dolls & clothing very carefully. they had little tabs that the kids had to cut around and then fold over the paper doll so the "clothing" would stay on. Kids took really good care of these paper people/ dolls. They would store them in boxes when not playing with them to keep them safe & in good condition. There were also a limited amount of crayons & coloring books that were cheap but mostly in cities & not available everywhere.
Games of "Jacks" played with small metal pieces and a small ball, You would place the jacks apart but close, bounce the ball & attempt to snatch a jack before the ball came back. Really, just doing the same thing over & over. If you were lucky enough to be around someone who played the piano, accordian, etc you would sing together for hours; sometimes just with other kids and other times with family members.
People in industrial areas got pieces of chalk used for other purposes but chunks were taken home & given to kids who drew on sidewalks and streets.
The appeal of playing games was of being together and having fun. No structured rules, teams or adults acting as coaches or judging. The games were played & thought up by other kids & passed on down. Kids played outside all day long. Times were different, very safe & kids looked out for each other. There wasn't any TV ( most homes did have small radios) Most homes didn't have telephones either & if they did, they were in the minority & didn't have private lines; they had "party lines". There were libraries, books and kids did a lot of reading alone & together with one older kid reading to the younger ones. Books were passed around. At night, friends got together and told stories to each other about all kinds of things; legends, tales, made up stories.
Boys with their dad's help made wooden "cars" that were made of scrap wood, old, used carriage wheels & nails. You'd go up a hill and just get in & ride down inside your "car". Later crude "steering wheels" would be attached & if lucky you had someone push you back and forth.
There were many, many other games, I'm sure. These are just some of the ones that have come to mind
Since times were very tough and many kids also worked to help their families, games were "low cost games". Mostly played out on the sidewalk or streets; stickball with sewer covers as bases, etc; marbles played out in dirt, sidewalks, etc; anything with homemade balls and homemade toys dolls, trucks,etc.. Remember hardly anyone had cars so you really didn't have to worry about cars on side streets.
Played hide and seek; Ring- A -Lario; Jump the "Donkey, Horse or whatever". 2 or 3 kids started at the bottom bracing themselves against a wall,. Hands out against the wall, slightly bent over to form the base. Then one by one, other kids tried to get a head start and then jump on top, then another next to him/her. Then a kid would try to get on top of them. It was making a human pyramid & you couldn't really stay that way for long, with kids on top of you & then someone else jumping & shaking everyone not steady. Usually, you started falling over & then joined by the others. There was no sense to the game, really, but the laughter was continuous & contagious.
I learned about a lot of these street games when I was in college & did a paper on the depression & interviewed people. Also, some kids had junky, old bikes & bike riding was not only a delivery job for most but also a great sport as was running together through parks. Simple stuff mostly, thought up by kids. They went swimming locally in rivers, bays & some in lakes & oceans. Also, pollution was really not an issue then because testing & knowledge and money didn't exist for it to be an issue.
There were paper dolls with wardrobes where girls would cut out the dolls & clothing very carefully. they had little tabs that the kids had to cut around and then fold over the paper doll so the "clothing" would stay on. Kids took really good care of these paper people/ dolls. They would store them in boxes when not playing with them to keep them safe & in good condition. There were also a limited amount of crayons & coloring books that were cheap but mostly in cities & not available everywhere.
Games of "Jacks" played with small metal pieces and a small ball, You would place the jacks apart but close, bounce the ball & attempt to snatch a jack before the ball came back. Really, just doing the same thing over & over. If you were lucky enough to be around someone who played the piano, accordian, etc you would sing together for hours; sometimes just with other kids and other times with family members.
People in industrial areas got pieces of chalk used for other purposes but chunks were taken home & given to kids who drew on sidewalks and streets.
The appeal of playing games was of being together and having fun. No structured rules, teams or adults acting as coaches or judging. The games were played & thought up by other kids & passed on down. Kids played outside all day long. Times were different, very safe & kids looked out for each other. There wasn't any TV ( most homes did have small radios) Most homes didn't have telephones either & if they did, they were in the minority & didn't have private lines; they had "party lines". There were libraries, books and kids did a lot of reading alone & together with one older kid reading to the younger ones. Books were passed around. At night, friends got together and told stories to each other about all kinds of things; legends, tales, made up stories.
Boys with their dad's help made wooden "cars" that were made of scrap wood, old, used carriage wheels & nails. You'd go up a hill and just get in & ride down inside your "car". Later crude "steering wheels" would be attached & if lucky you had someone push you back and forth.
There were many, many other games, I'm sure. These are just some of the ones that have come to mind
What is this spin around riding toy from the 50's 60's called?
audrey
It is made of metal ,is about 5 feet wide or long as it were,has 4 criss cross seats ( like this--- X ) one child on each end. The little kids would sit astride each and hold on to their hand rail and push with their feet to make this ride spin around.
Answer
hmm could possibly be a kinetic energy machine...
although i doubt using little kids to power it would be legal...
hmm could possibly be a kinetic energy machine...
although i doubt using little kids to power it would be legal...
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