12 things to do before your 12

[Warden]

Not sure were to place this, so I popped it into the news section.

Although we have been participanting in our retro living hobby for the past 6 years, I did not know the outdoor games of our childhood are also from a long forgotten world.

See Sky News Report on 12 things to do, before your 12

Don't todays children make dens any more? It is great that someone is making an effort to start a revival of out door games, I am just sad they had died and I did not notice.

I was interested in the news article and found that there is even a website which tells folks how to play outdoor games.

Chin chin

Mr & Mrs Warden D

 

[Miss Dottie]

Just reading that post brought back all sorts of memories for me.

 

[FedoraGent]

Just reading that post brought back all sorts of memories for me.

Ditto Dottie.

Jon

 

[Warden]

Even Charlie Brown would sweep leaves into a pile and then jump into it!

Warden D

 

[Warden]

It was sad to learn that another part of my childhood past has gone bust. Airfix models are a victim to this world event called globalisation and children’s lack of interest in anything that is not electronic.

I spent most of my summer hols making Airfix models, searching for hours for a small part which I would eventually find stuck to my hair and being told off for leaving great globs of glue on the front room carpet.

Making Airfix models taught me a lot of good life skills. Patience, as the larger models could take up to a week to build, History, each model came with a potted history of the aircraft and a great picture of the aircraft in action and finally financial management, saving those pennies so I could afford the all important Dorner to even up the sides a bit.

Of course there was the problem of what to do once you had built the model. The whole of my ceiling was a diorama of the Battle of Britain. I would lie in bed with Henkels, Spitfires, Hurricanes and even the odd Bolton Paul Defiant posed in a never ending air battle.

Once the bedroom air space was used up, the older, poorer made models went off for a high explosive end.

Either being shot down with a friends air rifle, suffered a mid air explosion as a penny bangers (firework) inserted inside went off or generally had its aerodynamics tested as they were hurled out of the bathroom window.

But perhaps not all the demise of Airfix can not be blamed on modern children.

For example a child could not purchase the high tonic glue over the counter today. If a child took pot shots at an Airfix model with an air rifle they would have a Police armed response unit with a helicopter flying over head within seconds. Even penny bangers are banned.

Perhaps the question is, who would want to grow up today in a world without risks and Airfix?

Warden

 

[Warden]

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Reading this article brought back such good memories. When I was a kid, I'd run home from school, throw my book bag on the ground and rush outside to meet up with kids in the neighborhood. We'd play tag, kick ball, one summer with the help of my dad, we built a really cool club house and filled it with board games, coloring books, all sorts of things to keep us occupied for hours. What ever happened to the day's of building mud pies! Or wiffle ball in the middle of the street.
I miss those times, every afternoon was a new adventure. And all of this took a lot of imagination. Which comes to my point. Activities today lack the critical use of a child's imagination. They are handed some sort of advanced toy that does just about everything imaginable. Kids minds aren't being stretched, and I think this will affect their overall development. I do know that a lot of kids today are packed with after school activities such as soccer, gymnastics, field hockey, LaCrosse. Kids are being carted around by mom's SUV's from one activity to the next. I think it's great that they are so busy. But, the simple outdoor play that we grew up with. The play that helped us forge deep relationships with kids in the neighborhood and exercised all sorts of mental activities, they are gone. It seems that kids don't create in their heads anymore, and most off, and I understand that this is to do with the current state and safety of our neighborhoods, all activities are looked over by an adult. Don't get me wrong, I think safety is important, but I think moms watchful eye can also hinder the development of a child. Instead of going and being creative, they are looking to an adult to make sure that everything they do or create is up to par. This kind of takes the fun out of imaginative play.
So, gone are the day's of Ring around the Rosie and Red Rover. I just saw an article a few weeks ago about a school in Massachusetts that has banned kick ball and dodge ball, for they are too dangerous. There excuse is that the ground on the play area is too hard, and they are hoping to lift the ban as soon as the cement is replaced by some man made soft material. Nobody on this playground has had any serious injury due to the games, just a few minor scrapes and bruises. All part of being an active child. I played kick ball and dodge ball on cement, and I'm still here!
So today, kids spend their time in front of the TV, playing video games, when more of them should be out doors expending energy with their friends. It's amazing how many pre-teens and teens are in the over-weight or even obese category, and even more of a shocker at how many of this teens end up becoming diabetic. The introduction to overly packaged lunches, instead of something homemade by mom as well as a plethora of snacks that are accessible at most public schools is definitely not helping the problem. We didn't have these kind of treats in school, we were required to play an after school sport every semester. We played a lot and played hard. We at what was given to us, and I always remember that it was a balanced, healthy meal. There were no soda machines or candy machines at my school. I can't remember one person in my entire school that had a weight problem.
OK, another tangent by me! I do wish we could turn the clock back. Our future kids are depending on us to step forward and teach them the right way to live. Let's exercise their minds, show them that eating healthy can be a good thing, teach them how to go outside and play like kids again. Those times playing wiffle ball, catch, or even kick the can were so much fun. My mom had to call me into dinner at least three times before I'd come in. And during the summer months when the light was longer, after the dishes were done, I was right back outside.
How I miss those times!

 

[Sefton]

I suppose there is a chance that sometime within the 5 hours a day that children spend in front of a computer screen they migh stumble across the web site that instructs them how to play outdoors...or maybe they could just play them on their Playstation...

 

[Grace]

Growing up, I was always outside. Always out running around with the neighborhood kids. Building forts, catching bugs, playing tag. Building things, swimming, riding bikes. Always something new to do and explore.

I rarely see kids playing outside anymore.

And everyone is so concerned about the rise of obesity in children....do you think it has something to do with their butts being seated in front of the TV/Computer all day? Or the fact that the parents are too busy to cook, so they eat Happy Meals and frozen pizza for dinner?

 

[Absinthe_1900]

It was sad to learn that another part of my childhood past has gone bust. Airfix models are a victim to this world event called globalisation and children’s lack of interest in anything that is not electronic.

But perhaps not all the demise of Airfix can not be blamed on modern children.

For example a child could not purchase the high tonic glue over the counter today. If a child took pot shots at an Airfix model with an air rifle they would have a Police armed response unit with a helicopter flying over head within seconds. Even penny bangers are banned.

Perhaps the question is, who would want to grow up today in a world without risks and Airfix?

Warden

I believe Airfix models will likely return in some form, the tooling is far too valuable to just scrap. ($150,000.00 to $250,000.00+ to cut molds)

Some of the problems with Airfix were due to mergers with other companies as well as changing tastes in childhood entertainment.

I'm glad I saved some unbuilt relics of my mis-spent youth that were spared a lighter fluid doused crash in the backyard.:eusa_doh:

 

[Jay]

Back when I was building models on a regular basis, I too heard that Airfix models were coming back numerous times. They're lurking around somewhere, I suppose. Funny how even the detail fanatics who customize even the most complex model still have a soft-spot for all the old models. Then again, most college-age kids have an almost universal weak-spot for original nintendo games. Is nostalgia supposed to set in at such a young age?

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Airfix Saved

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9065-2446432,00.html

Hornby steams to the rescue of Airfix
By Neelam Verjee
Hornby, the maker of toy trains and Scalextric cars, is to rescue Airfix from administration, adding the maker of model aircraft, tanks and ships to its stable of brands.
The deal, to be announced today, will unite some of the best known hobby brands after Hornby agreed a £2.6 million deal with the administrators, Grant Thornton, to buy the Airfix brand, as well as Humbrol, the paints and model accessories business, and Young Scientist, which makes chemistry sets.

 

[GOK]

Daisy, you rock!

Gosh Daisy, I could have written that post myself. I don't know about over there but here our schools have to have special 'walk to school' weeks. I find that a tragic indication of just how lazy people have become.

Referencing your comments about after school clubs - yes, they keep the children active but they are no substitute for parental attention and involvement. When I was teaching, I'd say that 90-95% of the children that went to clubs had quite poor relationships with their parents and siblings. In fact, in some cases, I had parents asking me what their children's interests were. How could they not know? Bizarre.

 

[John in Covina]

Outdoors and without adult supervision

Previously, I think that we hit upon one difference for todays kids. Parents are so frightened of bad things happening to their children, pedefiles and such, that the control and observation factor has become paramount. As a kid of 8 or 9 I could spend an entire summer day unsupervised and unattended out with other kids riding bikes, going places or playing games. Now, parents get frantic when then don't have their kids in sight. This means that all activies are organized, controlled, supervised and are formal, structured, the antithesis of the unstructured play I enjoyed. I climbed trees, forded streams, path findered thru the woods and marshes and went to and thru places most adults would avoid. I learned trouble shooting skills, made judgement calls and found out what worked and what did not. The self reliance aspect is much more difficult to put into practice under the conditions of play for most urban and suburban children today.

Granted sports and hobbies are great but today we seem to want to make them little adults and disregard the need for real play in a childs life and the chance to be a child.

 

[Feraud]

I have seen parents overcompensate but does anyone else think parents "in the old days" undercompensated just a bit?
Think about it, sending your children out in the a.m. not to see them until dinner is a bit...irresponsible don't you think?
Neighborhoods are not what they used to be, or how we remember them through a child's eyes. Do we really believe child molesters, abductors, etc. did not exist in the past or was it not as talked about?
Having independent time is essential for children. It certainly builds character and socialization skills. I had it and want my son to enjoy time with his friends with no parents hanging around. As a parent you should want to be aware of what the child is up to. I think sending the children "out to play" until lunchtime is a bit naive.
I think a good balance in raising children is necessary no matter what era one lives in. The could mean sending children out with friends but knowing who they are with and what they are up to.

 

[Warden]

I heared on the radio news today that children are having problems relating to each other because parents do not let thier children play out unsupervised / alone.

My first reaction was how sad, then I thought last weekend my daughter and her friends wanted to play on thier bikes in the street.

So I went outside also and clean the garage so I was nearby just in case. What can I say it is hard being a parent.

Harry

 

[Foofoogal]

This is subject that has been bothering me for ages.
As a child of the late 1950s I had a super childhood. I lived on a street in a small town where I am not kidding you had 100 kids at one time within a block or two. The moms all stayed home except for one lady and I remember everyone else felt sorry for her.
We played jacks, mudpies, china berry fights, had marble tournaments, made forts, red rovered and freeze tagged till suppertime. They had to drag us into the house in the evening. We understood the neighbor lady could fuss at us as well as our mom and would also tell our mom or dad. We would as kids get mad at each other one hour and be playing with each other the next.
Children now are lined up to get 2.5 cookies and 1 cup of juice. I honestly think this has done 2 different things.
1. Squelched independent thinking and creativity.
2. Kicked in the number one rule which is self survival.

Even in camps or structured sports there is such strictness or inability to just have freedom together as children and run. I do understand about safety and horrible anyone who would hurt a child but the difference in that is that if they used to be caught they really did get punished.
I miss 3 things that have really gone by the wayside. Men whistling, women singing and children laughing! It is up to the individual parents to set up places where children can just flat have fun. Slip and slides, games. Whatever.

I don't know who said this first but:

Sometimes the memory of the way it used to be even becomes a memory!

 

[Miss Brill]

Or the fact that the parents are too busy to cook, so they eat Happy Meals and frozen pizza for dinner?

Too lazy is more like it. And don't forget schools are feeding them fast food rather than real lunches.

 

[Warden]

I found the news story on the BBC website, to read it click here

The article roughly says "Young people face a "physical and mental illness time bomb" unless they get more chance to play outside, a conference has heard".

Harry