Kids who grew up in the fifties spent a lot of time outdoors.  We were never bored, we entertained ourselves.  We climbed trees, made forts and spent hours playing in vacant fields.  We had jacks and marble tournaments, we jumped rope and played games for hours. Sometimes we would just sit on the curb and talk with our friends, or lie on our backs in the grass and look at the sky. Our summers were spent bike riding, going to baseball games and swimming in the pool at the park. Winters were spent building snow forts, having snowball fights and ice skating.   All of us knew we had to be home before dusk...and that meant BEFORE the street lights came on!  We had respect for both our parents and authority.  Oh yes, the fifties are a decade to remember!

Remember the games we played ?



Remember the toys we played with?

  • Kick the can
  • Mother May I?
     
  • Red Rover
     
  • Red Light, Green Light
     
  • Hop Scotch
     
  • Hide and go seek
     
  • Simon Says
     
  • Tag
     
  • Cops and Robbers
     
  • Cowboys and Indians
     
  • Dodge Ball
     
  • Touch Football
     
  • Baseball in vacant fields
     
  • King of the Hill

 

  • Erector sets

  • Cork Pop Guns

  • Pea Shooters

  • Tinker Toys

  • Jacks

  • Roller-skate keys

  • Lincoln logs

  • Slinkys

  • B-B Guns

  • Viewmasters

  • Crystal Radios

  • Sling Shots

  • Hula Hoops

  • Silly Putty

 

How many of these do you remember?

Catching lightening bugs in a jar

When a quarter was a decent allowance

When laundry detergent had free glasses or towels hidden in the box

When we followed the bug spraying guy around town

When you picked up the telephone and the operator said, "Number please?"

45 RPM records

The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team

Many of our decisions were made by going “Eeny-meeny-miney-moe”

S & H Green Stamps

“Oly-oly-oxen-free”

You didn't know anyone who owned a pure bred dog

Most all of your friends' moms were at home when their kids got home from school

When a parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.

Gas stations where you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, for free and without even having to ask

Crinoline petticoats, poodle skirts, saddle shoes and penny loafers

The ugly uniforms girls had to wear in gym

Water balloons were the ultimate weapon

Knock Knock jokes

Putting baseball cards in the spokes of our bicycles so they would sound like a motorcycle

Wearing cigar bands on our fingers

Milk was delivered to your home in a glass bottles by your Milk Man

Not steppin' on the crack....or you'll break your mother's back

Lying on our backs in the grass & staring at the clouds

Running through the sprinkler

Being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited you at home

All your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers wore high heels

Schools threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed ... and they followed through

The Fuller Brush Man

3-D Movies

Pillow fights and slumber parties

Candy Cigarettes and Necco wafers

5 cent packs of baseball cards with a pink slab of bubble gum

Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water inside

Wax lips and mustaches

Blackjack and Clove chewing gum

Eating Kool-Aid powder with sugar

Penny Candy

 

Growing up in the fifties has given all of us truly, irreplaceable memories!

 

Page Created: 3/29/09
Page Updated 410/20