What Kids Did Before There Was

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What Kids Did Before There Was
By Vickie Gray
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Riddle

• Is too much of a good thing possible?
• What is in every home?
• What do we turn on when we get up in the morning
  and when we get home in the afternoon?
• What tells us what we have to have to be happy?

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Did you guess the answer ?
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Its Television!
Image Source Microsoft Clipart (altered for
content)
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But What Did Kids Do Before Television?
What would you do?
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These children lived where it was very cold. What
did they do for fun?
Nunivak children (The North American Indian
v.20)Image Source Library of Congress
American Memory
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These children lived where it was very hot. What
did they do for fun?
Children at Saturday night dance. Robstown camp,
Texas. Image Source Library of Congress
American Memory
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Where did these boys live? What did they do for
fun?
Children riding burros, Santa Fe, New
MexicoImage Source Library of Congress
American Memory
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These children have found something to do.
Who were they? What else did they do for fun?
A Native American Dakota Sioux girl, wearing a
dress decorated with shells and a hair pipe
necklace, pulls another child in a wagon lettered
"Express," Omaha, Nebraska - 1898Image Source
Library of Congress American Memory
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What were these guys up to? Could we give them
names and write a story?
McIntire Children's Home Small Picture Collection
Image Source Library of Congress American
Memory
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These boys were having fun. Are they sitting in
front of a television?
Children playing, New York City, New York
1941Image Source Library of Congress American
Memory
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Consider This

• The world is very old. Television is relatively
  new.
• Children lived for thousands of years without
  television.
• Could you possibly try some other things?
• Take a look at these choices.
• Maybe you have some ideas to share with us.

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Marbles A game where a glass ball is flicked by
the thumb at other marbles to drive them out of a
marked circle.

Mountain children playing marbles after school in
Breathitt County, Kentucky. 1940Image Source
Library of Congress American Memory
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Jacks
A game where 6 pronged metal pieces are picked up
on the bounce of a small rubber ball.
Left Image (Jacks) Source Microsoft Clipart
Right Image (Little girl playing jacks at the
Casa Grande Valley Farms, Pinal County, Arizona.)
Source Library of Congress American Memory
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Who is this young lady? What did she like to
do? Is it a special day or did she always dress
like this?
Coal Miner's Daughter - 1913-1914Image Source
Library of Congress American Memory
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Pick up sticks. A game where dropped wooden
sticks are picked up one by one without moving
the other sticks.
Image Source Microsoft Clipart (Cropped for
Content)
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Card House. All you need is a pack of playing
cards and a lot of imagination. What else can
you use to construct with at home?
Image Source Microsoft Clipart
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Jumping Rope
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn around. Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear, Touch the Ground. Teddy Bear, Teddy
Bear, Shine your shoes. Teddy Bear, Teddy
Bear, Read the news. Teddy Bear, Teddy
Bear, Climb the stairs. Teddy Bear, Teddy
Bear, Say your prayers. Teddy Bear, Teddy
Bear, Turn out the light. Teddy Bear, Teddy
Bear, Say Good Night!
Girl jumping rope 1936Image Source Library of
Congress American Memory
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Documented slave narrative of a game.
Eda Harper Games of Pro-War Days -
1936-1938Image Source Library of Congress
American Memory
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Nature study and collection. Always return
things where you found them just like you found
them.
A child holding a baby alligatorImage Source
Library of Congress American Memory
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Are they playing Follow the Leader or Line
Dancing?
1942 - Woodville, California. FSA (Farm Security
Administration) farm workers' community. Nursery
children playing. Image Source Library of
Congress American Memory
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Musical chairs. A musical game where players are
eliminated as chairs are removed.
Chicago, Illinois. Ida B. Wells Housing Project.
Children playing a game in a music class.Image
Source Library of Congress American Memory
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Singing Games
Di-de-oh (Play party song with Partners)   Oh
Miss Violadi-de-od When you marry?di-de-od Whe
n you marrydi-de-oh Write me a
letterdi-de-oh Seal dat letterdi-de-oh With
that letterdi-de-oh (Break up and swing
partners) Goin to the house, pull of yo (my?)
shoes Goin bless the Lord and Glory Due.
Click on the speaker to travel to the Library of
Congress American Memory web site and listen to
the song.
1935 - African American children playing singing
games, Eatonville, FloridaImage Source Library
of Congress American Memory
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Building a Tree house. Always ask your parents
for permission. Over a river may or may not be a
good idea.
Justin climbing into a tree house located over
the creek near his home.Image Source Library of
Congress American Memory
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Houses do not have to be in trees or even
outside. Again it is a good idea to ask first.
1940 - The Whinery children playing in their
house. Pie Town, New Mexico. Image Source
Library of Congress American Memory
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Final Points

• Use your time wisely
• Watch television but enjoy good programs and do
  other things too
• Be creative
• Get others to join you in fun activities
• Make the most of the life you have been given!