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My sister and I used to go nature hunting which involved insects, leaves, feathers and any other interesting things we could find. Our favourite find were skeleton leaves where only the veins were left. We used to mount these on paper and make collages, and a lot of mess for mum to clear up.

We went out with friends, hung around and came home when we were hungry or the street lights came on.

Playing cricket with Grandad and my brothers.

Going for long walks and playing out with my friends. We seemed to have much more freedom in the 1950's and 1960's than children do today. Such a shame.

Going down the back lane on a trolley made with old pram wheels and some random wood and a bit of string to steer with and my brother dragging his feet to make the dust come up so we were like a racing car. We still have the scars from when we came off but oh how much fun it was.

Hopscotch - loved it, with swing ball a close second.

Riding my bike! Everywhere! Loved the sense of freedom on those long balmy summer days. Friends and I used to take a picnic with us sometimes, ride around the neighbouring housing estate, get lost for a bit then go for a picnic in the park! Ride to the strawberry farm and down the country lanes, just having fun being children. Ah, those were the days....

Going to the park on my own with a book and reading for hours. Sitting quietly.
No-one to tell me to stop and go do something !

Playing with neighbouring children in the field behind our house.
I also enjoyed riding my bike to wherever I wanted - the sense of freedom.

I was an only child but lived in a block of flats with other blocks surrounding us, making a big square in the middle where myself and all the neighbouring kids would play out. Summers seemed to be hot and sunny every day, (apart from when we had magnificent thunder storms which we would all love to watch from the safety of the undercover communal outhouse and bin areas), and there was always someone to play 'Tick', Rounders, Football, Tennis with amongst the washing lines strung up in the paved centre or to sit on the grass sides, making daisy chains or playing 'Mums and Dads' or 'Schools' and making little camps. Wonderful, halcyon days!

I loved to climb the trees near our house and make a den underneath with my friends

Loved playing 'Marbles' and 'Conkers' easy toys to carry around!

being a tomboy loved football, and riding our bikes with my brother

Gardening with my Dad planting my vegetables and flowers. Thenselling the produce to the holiday makers at the close by caravan park. Drinking home made ginger beer and sandwiches a lovely life in the country.

The swings, I loved the swings. Also as a child, I enjoyed making "little secrets" (or sekretiki in Russian), where you put flowers and beads under a piece of broken coloured glass on the ground, and then covered it with soil, then you had to "undig" it to see the little display. I have no idea if anyone plays like that these days, but my friends and I spent hours creating these "little secrets".

making "perfume" in a bucket from rose petals!

Looking for and watching bugs and frogs in the garden.

Coats

Going down to the local beach with our costs fastened around our necks made to look like cloaks and pretending we were the famous five off on an adventure.

I was a right tomboy when I was young and loved climbing trees and riding my bike

I loved playing Rounders

Following the streams with my friends which always ended up with one of us getting a 'booty' ( a wellie full).

Tree climbing

Riding my bike which was an old delivery bike. I needed to climb onto the Rectory wall and drop down onto it. Cycled for miles sometimes with my friends and sometimes on my own. The freedom - sandwiches and off for the day. Not to be repeated now.

Making 'fairy gardens' in my gradparents garden. My Grandma would give us a plastic tray and we'd fill it with twigs and stones and flowers and other things we could find to make a miniature garden.