Cheap And Cheerful Outdoor Games We Always Played
Playing out was what our childhood was all about. We made our own entertainment, using our imagination and, maybe, mum’s clothes airer and a couple of old sheets. Hey presto, we had a den to eat biscuits in, in the garden. Then we’d take the dog for a walk- not a real 4-legged friend but a yo-yo! With some chalk, string and elastic we could indulge in three different outdoor games.
Elastics – Stretch your imagination
I’m sure you’ll remember playing elastics when you were young. You only needed a few yards of elastic, from your mum’s sewing kit and two pairs of willing ankles. We made up some great songs as we jumped in and out, going higher and higher as the stretchy string started moving up the legs towards the knees.
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When mum had finished knitting herself a tabard, a small length of the leftover wool was just what was needed for a cat’s cradle. No, not for a spoilt feline friend but to play the game where you looped the wool over your fingers and thumbs, in an intricate pattern and your friend had to ‘take it over’ on to his or her hands. We would sit on the grass and play it for ages.
Cat’s Cradle – Animal friendly
Obesity wasn’t a word in our vocabulary, back in the day. We were always on the go and meal times were a disruption to our day. Some games were more energetic than others, none more so than this.
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Skipping, on one foot, then hopping, then twisting the rope. There were lots of variations, including a daring one where your partner (friend) ‘skipped in’ and you both did a skipping duet, calorie burning exercise for sure.
Skipping – Skip to my lou, my darling
Who remembers hopscotch? All that was required was some chalk, a pebble and a pavement. In fact, if you didn’t have any chalk, the edge of a small stone did the trick. Happy days.
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