[Crimson Dynamo]

1. splashing in puddles
2. squelching in mud
3. build sandcastles
4. make a daisy chain
5. go collect frogs spawn and tadpoles
6. climb a tree
7. make a den
8. had a picnic outside your own back garden
9. planted seeds and grew flowers
10. go out spotting animals/insects or flowers
11. fly a kite
12. pick fruit in wild
13. go strawberry picking
14. have a snowball fight
15. build a snowman
16. go for a bike ride over 5 miles

How many have you done (i have done them all )

A GENERATION of children are spending less than half the time playing outdoors than their parents did.

The youngsters are growing up without experiencing simple outdoor pleasures such as splashing in puddles or mud, building a sandcastle or making daisy chains, a study has revealed.

Researchers found a whole range of traditional outdoor activities are becoming a thing of the past as children spend their spare time playing computer games, watching TV or just hanging out indoors with friends instead.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/health/...tles-1-3734728

[MTVN]

The good old days, did most of them apart from maybe strawberry picking. Some of them like collecting tadpoles and planting seeds we would do in primary school. If I had been born say ten years later I probably wouldn't have been half as active outdoors as I was as a kid. Though that said I still grew up playing pokemon on the gameboy and watching enough tv to be moaned at a lot by the old man for not going out as much as he would in his day

[Niamh.]

yes but my kids would have done most of those things too tbf (except collecting frog spawn/tadpoles as it is now illegal ) They don't play outside in general half as much as I would have though

[kirklancaster]

The sheer fun of playing; 'Sticks', 'Kick Out Can', 'I Draw A Snake' and 'Pie Crust' in the back alleys and ginnels.

Sticks, Kick Out Can and I Draw a Snake were all variations on the scatter and hide and be chased type activity, while 'Pie Crust' was a rough and tumble game that brought real laughter:

One of the team was picked to be a 'donkey'. He would bend his back and lean forward with his hands palm up against a wall or clutching a fallpipe, and the others would take it in turns to shout: "Pie Crust"(????) and jump heavily on his back then straddle him like you would a Donkey. The 'Donkey' had to writhe and wriggle and kick up until he dislodged the 'rider'. If he did, the rider became the Donkey. Sometimes this was played with ALL the others leaping on (or as many as could fit on) and the inevitable 'collapse' of both Donkey and Riders was often hilarious.

No doubt this would be banned now because of Health and Safety.

Then, there was the excitement of climbing trees and collecting birds eggs (we were young, time's were different and we didn't know any better) and 'scrumping' - nicking apples and pears from the local orchards (we were young, time's were different and we didn't know any better).

Simple games played in the school playgrounds included marbles and 'Jacks' and 'Ciggies'.

Ciggies was played with flattened out sleeve type cig packets being 'skimmed' at an upright cig packet some distance away in an attempt to knock it over. Players took it in turns and the first to knock it over claimed all the other players cards which had failed. The game was taken so seriously that the bigger the collection of flattened cig packets someone owned, the more 'cool' he was perceived to be. Fights sometimes even ensued over alleged cheating.

Simple, free and enjoyable fun for poor kids in a less sophisticated era.

[Kizzy]

Yes spare time is either a lot more structured or just spent inside on various devices, it is sad really.
I did most of them, and so did my kids.

[Crimson Dynamo]

we used to play "Hunt the C unt" (and never questioned its name!)

One person would be it and the rest of the street would run and hide and as you found people you were it too until the last person to be found was winner. It wasnt hide and seek as you had to catch the person not just discover them

I also loved "truth, dare, double-dare, kiss, command or opinion" at school


When TOTPs came on the street would empty

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

we used to play "Hunt the C unt" (and never questioned its name!)

One person would be it and the rest of the street would run and hide and as you found people you were it too until the last person to be found was winner. It wasnt hide and seek as you had to catch the person not just discover them

I also loved "truth, dare, double-dare, kiss, command or opinion" at school


When TOTPs came on the street would empty

Yes, 'Hunt The Cunt is yet another variation on a theme (lovely name though) and we too played 'truth, dare' which often led to another game called 'cheeky' - nuff said.

[Drew.]

Originally Posted by MTVN

The good old days, did most of them apart from maybe strawberry picking. Some of them like collecting tadpoles and planting seeds we would do in primary school. If I had been born say ten years later I probably wouldn't have been half as active outdoors as I was as a kid. Though that said I still grew up playing pokemon on the gameboy and watching enough tv to be moaned at a lot by the old man for not going out as much as he would in his day

[Crimson Dynamo]

I also loved Dead Mans fall. A group of boys stood at the top of a wee hill and one boy at the bottom with a gun and a grenade and each person would say how they wanted to die "shot with a rifle, blown up by a grenade, machine gun and then the boy at the bottom would execute that order and the boy at the top would die spectacularly and fall down the hill. The best death got to be the shooter next time

The muddier you got was a bonus

[Crimson Dynamo]

neem you naughty Cork swine

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Yes spare time is either a lot more structured or just spent inside on various devices, it is sad really.
I did most of them, and so did my kids.

I agree - it is sad. I used to take my kids on long walks when they were little and we'd pick blackberries and raspberries in season. I also made them learn different types of trees and leaves, and birds and animal tracks, with the aid of my own set of little 'Observer' pocket books.

They're grown up now, but I know that they will do the same things with their kids and that in itself is pleasing.

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

I also loved Dead Mans fall. A group of boys stood at the top of a wee hill and one boy at the bottom with a gun and a grenade and each person would say how they wanted to die "shot with a rifle, blown up by a grenade, machine gun and then the boy at the bottom would execute that order and the boy at the top would die spectacularly and fall down the hill. The best death got to be the shooter next time

The muddier you got was a bonus

We played the exact same game but we called it; 'Best Drop'.

[Jessica.]

I have done all of them.

[Jason.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

1. splashing in puddles
2. squelching in mud
   
3. build sandcastles
   
4. make a daisy chain
   
5. go collect frogs spawn and tadpoles
6. climb a tree
7. make a den
8. had a picnic outside your own back garden
   
9. planted seeds and grew flowers
   
10. go out spotting animals/insects or flowers
11. fly a kite
12. pick fruit in wild
13. go strawberry picking
    
14. have a snowball fight
    
15. build a snowman
    
16. go for a bike ride over 5 miles

The ones in BOLD, I have done.
I still like to have snowball fights and build snowmen. Shame it hasn't snowed much in London, since January 2013.

I've always wanted to climb a tree.

[Kizzy]

When you think of it it doe's sound odd though, typical 9-10yr old day...
Mum!.... I'm going out god knows where with god knows who for god knows how long.....

Ok.....have you got a cardi on?

:/

[Livia]

I did all the things on the list except strawberry picking.

[AnnieK]

Yeah did all of them and thankfully my son is an outdoor kid so I still get to play in puddles. We used to eat our tea with our coats on so we could get back out as soon as possible too. As Kizzy said though, its totally different now though and kids can't have the feedom we did. I remember once my mum told me to be home by dusk - I didn't know when dusk was and my friend told me it was when its so dark you can't see your feet. I went home when it was pitch black and my mum was mad....but it didn't cross her mind to come looking for me, she knew we would just be playing somewhere.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

Yeah did all of them and thankfully my son is an outdoor kid so I still get to play in puddles. We used to eat our tea with our coats on so we could get back out as soon as possible too. As Kizzy said though, its totally different now though and kids can't have the feedom we did. I remember once my mum told me to be home by dusk - I didn't know when dusk was and my friend told me it was when its so dark you can't see your feet. I went home when it was pitch black and my mum was mad....but it didn't cross her mind to come looking for me, she knew we would just be playing somewhere.

What's changed in society? In the scheme of things, we're only talking about the recent past but I'd hate the thought of my nieces doing what I did at their age.

[Calderyon]

Did some of them, not all of them.

[Kizzy]

I never mentioned society... I just meant parents are more likely to overstructure their childrens free time now or the children are not interacting due to being distracted by the latest gadget to play.

[Vicky.]

Did all of them bar strawberry picking. My parents would never pay for us to go to the strawberry picking place..it was a fiver in each

[Black Dagger]

Did all of them bar the fruit picking stuff and bike riding (I never learnt how-to bike ride)

[Crimson Dynamo]

I used to go out at like 10 and come back at 5 when i was 8 and we would roam around for miles and go in derelict houses and walk in rivers and skim cowpats. And on a good day find a delicious stash of hedge porn.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

yes but my kids would have done most of those things too tbf (except collecting frog spawn/tadpoles as it is now illegal ) They don't play outside in general half as much as I would have though

why is it illegal

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Rose McGowan

why is it illegal

Too many of them were drinking it thinking it was junior Guinness