Early 1900s Summer Kids Games

History of Summer Games for Kids in Roy

BY JENNY GOLDSBERRY

As school gets out and your family runs out of ways to fill your day with, we thought we’d introduce some old school games from history. Give them a try and let us know what you think!

Pickle (Hot Box)

This game can be a kid’s early introduction to baseball, but you don’t need to play on a baseball field.

All you need are two bases marked with chalk, beanbags, or plates, and each is guarded by a player who throws and catches a baseball or a bigger ball for an easier catch. One or more players try to run back and forth between the bases without being tagged out by the people with the ball.

The game continued until one of the teams completely absorbed the other. Eventually, this game became Red Rover without the ball. This is the type of game where you can invite the whole neighborhood to create large teams.

Ante Over (Annie Over)

This game was popular more than 100 years ago using an old barn

or building to play. Two teams and a barrier, which can be a table or log set up between the two teams, were needed. One of the teams had a ball, yelled out “Annie,” and threw the ball to a member of the opposing team. If that person didn't catch the ball, then they would throw it back. Once the ball was caught, the teams switched sides as fast as possible. The catcher attempted to hit an opposing team member with the ball while they ran to change sides. If a catcher was successful, the player who was hit had to change teams.

Graces

Another popular game from the past is Graces, which requires a hoop

and a stick per kid. Kids try to use the stick to successfully pass the hoop back and forth. This game was devised to promote grace and dexterity in young children, which is how it got its name. The bigger the hoop, the easier the game, so you can use anything from a hula hoop to an earring. You likely already have hula hoops for the many games that involve them, maybe even for an obstacle course. Smaller hoops have dual purpose, too, for target games where objects are placed at a distance from the thrower, and the thrower tries to capture them with the hoops. This game helps with coordination and dexterity.

Toy Swap

While we’re not in a wartime now, here’s a fun idea from the second

World War era. Many toy factories at the time were required to make guns, plane parts, and other pieces of equipment needed for the war effort instead of making new toys. As a result, there was a toy shortage, so children would swap with one another at ‘toy exchanges.’ In this day and age, where the most popular YouTube channels worldwide are of children reviewing games, kids will be happy to learn about and try new toys from their friends.

If you have a fun game your, parents, grandparents, or great-grand-parents used to play you would like to share, Email jenny@connectionpub.com with your stories, and we might feature them in the magazine.