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HockeyMom

(14,337 posts)

67. NYC kids had the STREET as a playground

Tue Oct 7, 2014, 01:42 PM

Oct 2014

at least in Manhattan back then. Didn't have a school playground. You had to go to a public playground for that equipment. Lunch recess we played in the street or on the sidewalk: jumping rope, tag, dodge ball, etc., on blacktop and concrete. Grass? WHAT grass?

When we left our apartments, we played again in the streets unless we were older and could walk to a park ourselves or parents took us. In the summers (before AC) we turned on fire hydrants and splashed on the street barefoot. Um, disease concerned people would be horrifed today with that. There was WET bird and dog poop in those streets, and even on many occasions, HUMAN VOMIT. Kids paid no attention, and the boys even laughed at girls being squeamish over that. Our parents just told us to avoid it but not to not go outside.

Oh, yeah, "safety" today, BUT this includes "safety" about catching some deadly disease also. We survived not only dangerous play and playgrounds, but also what people today consider deadly contagious diseases.

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Highlight:

School Districts Getting Rid of 'Dangerous' Swings, Merry-go-rounds also [View all] Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 OP

And then there are complaints that our children aren't active enough. CaliforniaPeggy Oct 2014 #1

yes, I didn't grow up with a swingset at home, if it wasn't for the one at the playground Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #2

Life leads to death. nt LiberalElite Oct 2014 #3

yep. here is the type we played on in the late 60s / early 70s Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #8

Those can be dangerous Travis_0004 Oct 2014 #21

I used to love these as a kid kimbutgar Oct 2014 #26

In so many ways we lived during the best times this country ever provided. With whom Oct 2014 #52

There has to be ways to learn limits Jim Beard Oct 2014 #54

Agreed. It begins with taking care of a newborn child in a positive way. With whom Oct 2014 #59

There was always some moron who had to lick the metal TBF Oct 2014 #55

Well, some of us morons were naive and intelligent. With whom Oct 2014 #71

I loved those!!!!! savalez Oct 2014 #58

remember this type of "swing" - the double swing Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #95

Heck ya. savalez Oct 2014 #97

... and before that it seems to lead to a lawsuit... Oktober Oct 2014 #38

I remember a kid in my elementary school getting his chin split Capt. Obvious Oct 2014 #4

Tell me how I'm supposed to even attempt to raise a free-range kid, Volaris Oct 2014 #5

Just tie the kids to the tether ball pole Capt. Obvious Oct 2014 #7

^ TBF Oct 2014 #56

Raise your hand if you've ever been stabbed with a pencil or dropped a book on your foot NightWatcher Oct 2014 #6

You know those sci-fi films where people are just kind of floating in empty white rooms, KurtNYC Oct 2014 #72

When the kids don't get recess, I suppose they don't need much equipment. Arkansas Granny Oct 2014 #9

It's amazing that as many of us Boomers Sopkoviak Oct 2014 #10

check out old style monkey bars. I wonder how we survived the 1970s. lol Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #14

Yep, monkey bars set on concrete BuelahWitch Oct 2014 #19

I remember PasadenaTrudy Oct 2014 #31

Monkey bars were my favorite. I remember blazing hot metal sufrommich Oct 2014 #35

At Noon Recess gladium et scutum Oct 2014 #37

Yes!!!! I'm the parent that brings the roll of wax paper to the playground! nt msanthrope Oct 2014 #74

Thank You for the Good Times. N/T gladium et scutum Oct 2014 #82

Ours were "Jungle G(J)yms." We had very high swings Eleanors38 Oct 2014 #36

No shit, right? pipi_k Oct 2014 #32

Ain't it the truth. hifiguy Oct 2014 #50

Hell, us Gen X'ers as well. TM99 Oct 2014 #64

You can't even have tether ball. DamnYankeeInHouston Oct 2014 #11

Don't blame the schools. Blame the insurance companies who bleat about "risk" and refuse coverage Brickbat Oct 2014 #12

No, blame the lawyers who sue the insurance companies FLPanhandle Oct 2014 #25

The insurance companies instill the "Fear of lawsuits" to gouge more money. Jim Beard Oct 2014 #57

"We had a perfectly good playground." johnp3907 Oct 2014 #13

I was born in 1951. My friends and I... 3catwoman3 Oct 2014 #15

Back during my fabulous 80's childhood, I fell off the monkey bars Jake Stern Oct 2014 #34

The Giant Stride was one of my favorites Kaleva Oct 2014 #16

We had one of those at my elementary school. MineralMan Oct 2014 #44

During winter, we made slides down the hill right behind the school Kaleva Oct 2014 #83

never heard of such a thing Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #88

I love the irony that a teeter-totter is still the sign for a playground likesmountains 52 Oct 2014 #17

They can always have them march around the playground BuelahWitch Oct 2014 #20

No kidding, what's left? likesmountains 52 Oct 2014 #27

Cut down all the trees in parks too! A kid might try to climb one and fall. Baclava Oct 2014 #18

I knew it was over when they banned "Dodgeball". n/t cherokeeprogressive Oct 2014 #22

They banned dodgeball? malthaussen Oct 2014 #48

They did in my school district in So. Cal. cherokeeprogressive Oct 2014 #65

There's irony for you. malthaussen Oct 2014 #68

long time ago... lining kids up against the wall and throwing a ball at them? Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #91

Earth To Be Made Child-Safe - Now "Sportin' Kids Family Fun Play Globe" hatrack Oct 2014 #23

Our grade school went against the grain and installed MissB Oct 2014 #24

Seesaws are the real danger wheniwasincongress Oct 2014 #28

forgot out the seeswaw... yeah, experienced the "bump" when it hit the ground suddenly Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #89

It was diving boards when I was a kid Egnever Oct 2014 #29

I think every time I took my daughter to a playground, at that age bhikkhu Oct 2014 #30

7 year old girl in Vancouver WA died on Friday. dilby Oct 2014 #33

swings are safe Jim Beard Oct 2014 #61

How about this for a deal: swingsets, monkey bars and merry go rounds will be returned hedgehog Oct 2014 #39

or if YOU don't want YOUR kid on the swingsets YOU get to make that determination. Nuclear Unicorn Oct 2014 #43

sorry, I'm a big one for letting kids take physical risks. cali Oct 2014 #73

When I was a kid,, I used to jump out of swings while in mid air... MrScorpio Oct 2014 #40

Same here. It was like being Superman flying through the air. hifiguy Oct 2014 #51

I'm glad shit is safer now, personally. Warren DeMontague Oct 2014 #41

Lawn darts... My Pet Goat Oct 2014 #79

End of another era. MerryBlooms Oct 2014 #42

but football is OK. leftyladyfrommo Oct 2014 #45

I used to loop-the-loop on those things. malthaussen Oct 2014 #46

Swings probably are the most dangerous at this point because gollygee Oct 2014 #47

The only thing I see dangerous about this photo Jim Beard Oct 2014 #62

Rubber tire... looks like safety features were beginning to be incorporated Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #92

Hell, some playgrounds won't let you run. malthaussen Oct 2014 #49

i love how we're all indignant about taking away our nostalgic childhood playground, unblock Oct 2014 #53

Maybe it is because, accidents happen. TM99 Oct 2014 #66

except that there are still playgrounds and kids still have plenty of fun on them. unblock Oct 2014 #70

Older kids don't really play on playgrounds much anymore gollygee Oct 2014 #90

not around here anyway. mini-unblock is 8, and we see plenty of older kids there. unblock Oct 2014 #96

Agreed, these type of threads are usually 95% filled with My Pet Goat Oct 2014 #78

I agree Jim Beard Oct 2014 #85

not totally indignant. Glad for the safey if activities that include climbing, jumping, running Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #93

Derp. KamaAina Oct 2014 #60

some examples Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #94

Maybe we could have softer concrete. Jim Beard Oct 2014 #63

NYC kids had the STREET as a playground HockeyMom Oct 2014 #67

This thread reads like the old RW "I remember my childhood" one jmowreader Oct 2014 #69

New is not always better. TM99 Oct 2014 #84

Cars kill a lot of people every year. When are we getting rid of those too? nt TeamPooka Oct 2014 #75

But bring as many guns as you like to school! nt valerief Oct 2014 #76

Aww, man shenmue Oct 2014 #77

First, they came for the pump-bar swings, then..... woodsprite Oct 2014 #80

so, little Oskar was right Douglas Carpenter Oct 2014 #81

Many on DU protest any criticism of trial lawyers. former9thward Oct 2014 #86

We're gonna wrap all the kids in bubble rooms lindysalsagal Oct 2014 #87