6 Games Children Played Before Technology Came Along

Before it was normal to find screen devices, X-Boxes and PlayStations in almost every home, there were old school games that kids loved just as much.

As debate sparks about screen devices and time children spend with them in the news, even if technological advancements are beneficial for kids – it’s definitely time to bring back a few old school games.

Hopscotch

On any sunny morning, hours would be spent on school yard grounds and concrete driveways; creating elaborate and decorative hopscotch playing boards.

All you really needed was chalk, rocks and maybe a few others to play with. You could even use the right rock to scratch out a hopscotch arena at the bus stop, for a quick challenge before the bus arrived.

Elastics

Elastics were probably most girls of my vintage childhood obsession. I can even remember getting special elastic for a birthday or Christmas in that era. I can’t imagine my own kids holding humble glittery elastic with the same reverence I displayed that happy, happy day. They’d probably laugh at my joke and ask for their real present.

Even if you were alone, you could just use chairs to hold the elastic in place. Usually, though, elastics consisted of two people putting their feet inside the loop of elastic to stretch it out, while a third person would jump over and on the elastic in a specific pattern. At each level the rope would be raised higher, first around the ankles, then to calves, knees and thighs.

Collecting and Swapping Cards or Tokens

The equivalent of collecting tokens or weapons in an electronic game, spending your pocket money on Saturday building up your collector cards for the ultimate set or for trading in the school yard was the highlight of the week.

While the supermarket collector cards recreate apart of this era, the cards aren’t nearly as cool or as holographic as the old days.

Hide and Seek

Back in the old days when you had nothing to do and neighbourhood was all out and about, hide and seek was a go-to game. Sometimes played as Sardines where after hiding, the ‘hiders’ then go on to find each other and hide together and squash together like sardines to take up less space.

But usually, hide and seek started at the end of the countdown, where ‘It’ had the mission of finding every single person.

Skipping

When it was time for little lunch, if elastics was taken (or you’d forgotten yours) nothing beat skipping with long ropes with your friends.

Who could forget all of those songs and rhymes that made exercise so much fun? The year we did ‘Jump Rope For Heart’ in our pyjamas, we got to be in the local paper.

Tag

Tag was fun for one and all. But with three brothers, our family games sometimes turned to a bit of a wrestling match!

You’re iiiiiitttttt!!!!!!!!!

Ask anyone, I’m no fan of running, but put me in a game of tag and I will transform into an Olympic sprinter, with astounding slide tackling skills.

Too much screen time can’t be great for anyone, especially kids, they support a sedentary lifestyle, in place of time spent outside. Are you in? Bring back old school games! You can just do it in the garden or the yard.

Upload a pic of you and your kids playing old school! It’s going to be a fun memory.

What were your favourite old school games from your childhood?