(photo by Kathy Davis)
They generally were hilly, up and down in every direction, making our play more challenging in summer and more fun in winter. They hurt us when we tripped, leaving red stains where we fell. They were uneven and balls took crazy bounces. We marked them with chalk, then hop-scotched on them. We jumped on them, over ropes while singing crazy verses. These were ‘the streets of our neighborhoods’.
They were yesterday’s outdoor ‘home screens’ where we played, running with our legs, peddling our bikes, throwing balls and playing other games with friends, both boys and girls. They led us to parks, schools and downtown. We were always moving on ‘the streets of our neighborhoods’.
From early morning to dusk, we were the ‘gangs’ who gathered there for games, games that we created ourselves with balls, sticks, piles of leaves or mountains of snow. They provided us our own place to roam and explore until the calls to come home were heard, on ‘the streets of our neighborhoods’.
We were the noisemakers, youngsters covering our eyes against a tree, counting to a hundred, then warning, ‘here I come, ready or not’, seeking the hiders and chasing them like a hound after a fox. With youthful exuberance and constant yelling, we ran each other down in games of tag, catching the fastest one last through sheer exhaustion. Wild games, played on ‘the streets of our neighborhoods’.
Today, as an adult, I wonder, where is all that unbridled energy? Where are the boys and girls with knuckles and knees scraped and bruised from running and pushing and falling and doing it over and over, day after day? Where is the happy sound of kids physically exerting themselves in their made up play? Where is the noise that used to make older people open their windows and yell, “go play in front of your own house”? I’m older now and have earned my turn to yell…to be an old curmudgeon, but the streets are empty.
‘The streets of our neighborhoods’ were places where kids met without adult supervision. We planned, organized and executed the days and weeks activities on our own. It was informal and efficient. The streets were a safe place to be. We settled disagreements without intervention. Our minds, and most importantly, our bodies were actively involved in our play and we flourished, playing outside everyday. We fell fast asleep at bedtime and awoke energized to do it again.
Some of my best memories are street play with friends from the neighborhood. We had winners and losers, but the play itself was paramount. Nothing stopped us. Only growing up could do that…on ‘the streets of our neighborhoods’.
srbottch
To Joey, Lincoln, Tommy, Buzza, Jackie and a slew of other kids who played, then grew up, on ‘the streets of our neighborhood’.
S'amusing 
i remember those days
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It didn’t take much to think up a game, did it. There was plenty of yelling, running and arguing, ‘gotcha, missed me…’! All impromptu stuff, and fun.
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Oh, I remember it well, though I was playing in the street across
“The Puddle”.
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…and you probably jumped right in the middle of it
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Good story as usual.In fine you are right.I was thinking reading your short story I might have writen this.
Xxxx
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Glad you liked it. It’s always good seeing your comments and name, my friend.
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This is a wonderful post, and children today are missing so much without streets and neighborhoods. It’s more than the physical activity ( and the lack thereof is a crisis today); it is character development- making friends, negotiating, learning to be fair. It is brain development- problem solving and critical, divergent thinking. Did you know that there is a concern that the skills of a surgeon are not as well developed today? It is because they use their hands on a computer and have not built with rocks and sticks outside, and the like. Can you tell I’m a teacher?
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Thank you for an educator’s perspective. I write this because I had a momentary flashback of my youth and how it’s so different from much of today’s social play among kids. For one thing, there was no s comparison of parental involvement. We were left to do our own creative ‘thing’. It pleases me when I see groups of youngsters playing and having a good time song themselves. Things. Ha he, maybe it’ll make a comeback. 😉
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Great thoughts and comments. I hope so, too!
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Growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast, I had never been sledding until well into adulthood. At 37 I moved to Alaska where I got a job as an activity therapist for children. Sledding was a favorite activity for them, so we spent many afternoons and Saturdays on the big hill in the school yard. It quickly became a favorite for me, too. Reading your post took me back to that “grown-up childhood” memory. Thanks!
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One of us would stand watch at intersections to look out for cars. No cars, ‘Weeeeeeee…’! Thanks, Ida.
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I did learn that making some kind of noise on the way down makes it much more fun. Weeeeeeee!
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Making noise always makes things more fun. Send me your email address and I’ll send you an interesting picture I had taken yesterday. Send it to me at Stephen.bottcher@gmail.com.
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We are from the same era. I remember football games and “war” that we played as children. Nice one!
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And if you lived on a street that had parked cars, you would run a play that included one of them. Ex: ‘go straight and cut left behind the 2nd car…’. I think, generally speaking, ‘BC’ (before computers) kids were more physically fit than kids ‘AC’. Would you agree?
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Oh, I remember those days. I’d fall into bed in happy exhaustion. We need more of that now!
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…and falling asleep thinking about a good hiding spot the next day, which you’d forget when you woke. ‘Street games’ were a blast, weren’t they? I got more abrasions from the street than I could count. Do you remember your friends’ names from then?
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We actually have some kids playing on our street. It’s very refreshing. But it’s not as many as I would like to see.
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My grandkids are often out in woods, running, biking and at night, flashlight hikes. Kids play when parents encourage them to go outside. They all can swim laps in the pool. I hope you will see kids playing in your neighborhood, soon! Take care, Steve.
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Terrific. Kids need to be outdoors when they can. There are lots of kids in my n’hood but there not outside much. Woods are a fun place to play.
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Reblogged this on Stevie Turner and commented:
S.R Bottch, like myself, bewails the fact that children of today are all shut inside their bedrooms playing video games with virtual friends instead of running outside playing with real ones. It’s a great story and I decided to re-blog it.
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A wonderful reread. I even enjoyed what I replied to you. So, a second hearty thank you, Steve. I will be reblogging this soon. 🙂
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Jennie, last week I asked one of ‘my students’ if he played video games. He surprised me when he said, ‘no, I’d rather be outside playing and building stuff’. Hope springs eternal. 😉
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Yes!! Hope does spring eternal. Thanks so much, Steve.
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