Childhood in the 50's and 6o's.

When I saw this bike in clipart, it immediately brought me back to my childhood. We lived a half-block from a huge park, and there was always something going on. There was a yearly bicycle decorating contest. Kids would weave 'red white and blue' crepe paper in between the spikes of the bicycle wheels. Handlebars, seat, and everything else became our 'art' canvas. There would be a bicycle parade around the park, past the maypole and basketball courts, and by the main building [where we also made lariots and wove baskets] . We continued past the tennis courts which were flooded in winter for ice skating fun, and I can still remember the smell of burning mittens from standing by the barrel of fire where you paused to get warm]. There were swings , slides, and a 6 ft by 6ft concrete sandbox . There was no cover, and I can't remember evidence that cats also enjoyed it too. The center oval football-sized field was where all bikes came together for the winner's ceremony.

There were games of jump rope [daily], SPUD, red rover, mother may I, red light green light, all kinds of tag, hopscotch, jacks, and cards [war, rummie, fish, solitaire, ] and hide and seek. . The giraffe is responding to, "All-ie, all-ie in free!"[ HARD TO BELIEVE HE WASN'T FOUND!]

Kids of different ages played together, and boys and girls even played together in those group games. We knew how to tell time by the distinctive Westminster Chimes that the church's bell tower that 'bonged' every 15 minutes. Kids were kids and no one was rich. Rather, bikes were repainted and recycled.
I went to a retirement party last night and someone was talking about a book that had been written "How Did We Ever Survive Childhood Without a Helmit?"

Much of this is gone, but not forgotten. I don't know if kids today are having as much fun. Technology has taken away some of their "get up and go", and also caused a loss of 'people skills'. It is a very different world now. Kids need people to play with...so, how bout helping to get them out for a bike ride...or bocci ball...tennis...anyone?