Fun Activities I Did as a Child

As a kid, I loved playing outside alone, or with others in the neighborhood.

I enjoyed roller skating or jump rope, but climbing backyard fences was my favorite activity with a goal. Our house was in the middle of the block, and I thought it would be really cool to climb fences from the back of our house all the way to the end of the block, without touching the ground. I never managed it. My fence-climbing goal was short-lived because, when I got home, one of our neighbors had called to complain to my mom that I was climbing their fence. That wasn't the only thing I got in trouble for with the neighbors. Other offenses included the time I climbed a neighbor's special tree. And another was, on my way home from school I stopped to pick some flowers for my mom from another neighbor's yard. When I got home, flowers in hand, Mom said the neighbor called to complain that I had picked her flowers. It seemed I was always in trouble with the neighbors.

I had two friends who lived down the street, Elaine and Joann. They were sisters, and they had a duck with a deformed foot as a pet. We always had fun hanging out. We even started a club in their clubhouse — girls only. We played school and just hung out. That was fun for a while. Then I found my dad's army uniform in our garage. I told them about it, so we decided to play army. I was the drill sergeant barking out orders to them. I had them do marching drills all over our backyard. Thinking back, it seems funny to me they listened to me, and that we all had fun.

Another neighborhood friend was Renny. I was invited to come play with him regularly. His mom would always make the arrangements of the day, time, and activity. Some days we would play various games in his room. We enjoyed Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head or Chinese Checkers or regular Checkers. On nice days, we went into their garden and dug tunnels and roads for his trucks and cars. We spent hours and hours doing that. We even added a lake to our little community. His mom would fix us lunch, and then I would go home so he could take a nap. Once I asked his mom why he could only eat certain things and had to take a nap. She told me he had bad allergies. But when I was 13, I was told my friend had died. He was 11. I was never told why he died.

In the summer, bike riding, hopscotch, jump rope, and playing in hose water were popular activities. These were fun activities to do by myself or with others.

Then there was kick the can, hide and seek, or a rousing game of football. Being the youngest, I was not included in playing football; the older kids thought I would get hurt. But one game, my brother Jim called me in for a sneak play. He would hike the ball into my hands, and then I was to hold onto the ball with one hand and his belt with the other hand, and hang on, because we were going to run up the middle to score a touchdown — and so we did!

One summer some kids and I put on a show in their backyard. I know we charged for admission, to cover the cost of the lemonade we served. We divided the money; I think I got 20 cents. It was a fun thing to do once. I am sure it was the beginning of my event planning.

Other activities included jumping off the garage roof (not a smart thing to do), catching frogs, trying to trap quail, and making my own lunch and eating it outside.

There were always fun things to do; we were never bored. I guess what I am trying to say is, there is plenty to do without phones, iPads, or TV. The downside of playing outside? Skinned knees and elbows. The upside? Great memories!