Kids today might find this hard to believe, but there really was a period in time when smartphones didn't exist. But how did they entertain themselves?. How did they survive without instant and constant access to hilarious videos of cats being cats and people failing at stuff?
Well, actually, they managed just fine. Check out these vintage pictures of children enjoying themselves before mobile phones were invented to see what we mean. Compiled by Bored Panda, the list serves as an important reminder that all you really need to enjoy yourself is a little bit of imagination. Don't forget to vote for your favorite!
This post may include affiliate links.
Children In A Manchester Street Find Their Own Enjoyment With The Aid Of A Rope And A Lamp Post, 1946
Health and Safety violation right there. Shut these kids down.
Children Playing "Push The Peanut", King's Cross Street London, 1938
Imagine that!? Kids with their noses on the ground, crawling.... and most likely no child died as a direct result. People are so germaphobic these days - THAT is what's frightening!
Girl Dancing In Front Of Her Teddy Bear, Paris, 1961
I LOVE the way kids valued their toys back then. Toys were treasured because kids were lucky to have them. We lined up our little stuffed animals and performed plays for them.
Two Little Kids Dancing On The Streets Of New York City, 1940s
Paul Remos, A Circus Strongman, Hoists His Son Up In The Air Using Only His Right Arm To Feed A Giraffe At The London Zoo, 1950s
Three Boys Are Fishing For Change During The Great Depression, New York, 1930
Even The Dog Gets A Go On This See-Saw, Northamptonshire
One of my favorite games to play as a kid. I remember my neighbor had one in their backyard.
Child Hung Up On A Clothing Rope, Paris
This was before we could put our children in the tumble dryer.
Children Drawing With Chalk, Manchester, 1966
This is one I believe hasn't died in years gone by. I do see kids or sidewalk and street art every year. I remember drawing our hopscotch game on the pavement with chalk
Kids Dancing In The Street, New York, 1964
Set up by the fire dept. during a heat wave. People so poor they didn't have air conditioning, some as you can see didn't even own a bathing suit.
A Young Boy Wearing An Indian Headdress Hides In A Coal Hole And Takes Aim With A Toy Pistol, London, 1954
Nowadays a kid can't even own a toy gun and people would call the head dress as 'profiling' or any numerous other terms
Children Playing, New York, 1940s
We used to play on the roof of the house. We also used to climb trees equally as tall, or taller. NEVER once did a child fall or get hurt. Kids are adaptable that way. A child can get hurt falling off a skateboard or bicycle, it's just as easy
Two Boys Engrossed In Their Comic Books, Outside On The Street, 1952
Must have been the newest edition. That was the day we all headed to the stores to buy brand new comic books
Ten-Year-Old Martin Witter Watches Two Snails Race In His Home In Lynwood, California, 1954
Nun Dancing With Children On Saint Patrick's Day, Ireland, 1964
Girls On Swings
We used to try to get the swing to flip over the pole! Of course that would be impossible, but on a good 10 foot (3 meters) tall swing set it would certainly feel like you were about to go around!
Tuba Players, New York, 1940s
The Little Marilyn, Paris 1975
This Girl From Finchley, North London, Shows No Fear Of Being Dropped By Her Two Friends As They Play, 1954
And most likely they NEVER did drop her. Look how tall the slide was too! Now this IS a playground!
Young Daughters Of Air Raid Wardens In South-east London Practising First Aid With The Aid Of Their Dolls, 1940
A Group Of Children In The Middle Of A Haystack In A Field In Pawling, New York, Early 20th Century
Children Playing Marbles, Missouri, 1940s
Getting the 'cats eye' marbles or another 'shooter' was always the BEST. I lost most of my great marbles to the older kids. Especially my sister, she had won all the GREAT marbles on the block.
Russian Child Plays On Homemade Swing Made On A German Cannon Left Behind, 1944
i like this not only because of the happiness on the child's face, but the beauty of a weapon made for destruction now being used in the most innocent fashion. what a great shot.
Girl In Japan, 1958
Adorable. That is one big telephone receiver, even for an adult - It's as long as her whole arm!
Children Playing, Ribeira, Porto
We did this indoors at the homes of kids who lived in 2 story houses. We would ride the carpeted stairs.
Children Leaping With Umbrella, 1963
Sometimes we used sheets as parachutes too. We knew the umbrella might break, and that is actually what we would get in trouble over, but not for playing on the roof. lol
Children Playing In The Housing Slums Of Gorbals District, South Bank Of The River Clyde, Glasgow, 1960s
Those three kids were LUCKY. They actually got a boat to play in. It looks like 8 others had to watch
Youngster Playing In Water From Fire Hydrant. Police Are Waging Campaign Against Indiscriminate Opening Of Hydrants Since It Reduces Water Pressure And Poses A Threat To Fire Fighters, New York, 1959
Children Singing In A Snow Cave, Niigata Prefecture, 1956
An Eye On The Street, Glasgow, 1968
A Group Of Boys Aged Between 8 - 14 Out At Play
Adults would disapprove. It's not that kids don't want to play, it's just that we don't get as many opportunities any more.
Boys Riding The Rails After The Liberation Of Holland, 1945
A Us Soldier Helps Some Children With Their Skipping, England, 1944
One of my favourite old school activities. My class was the best at this sort of entertainment.
Two Girls Swing On A Lampost, Manchester, 1965
wow,they were lonely,loos like a ghost town.lol. ¨just the 2 of us¨
Children Walking Rue Marcelin Berthelin Berthelot, Choisy Le Roi Mai, Paris, 1946
In the too big boots handed down from an older boy probably stuffed with wool or old newspaper to prevent slipping :) lol
Note: this post originally had 110 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
It's not just that there are no smart phones. It is also the fact that modern parents are way too overprotective, and too many of those activities would horrify most of them. All that climbing, jumping... and toy guns? Oh, the horror (and that's called sarcasm, in case you didn't get it!)
I once threw a small seventh birthday party for my daughter when we had an evergreen tree with very low branches. My kids and two of my daughter's friends were in the tree very low when their parents arrived to pick them up and both sets of parents just freaked out that I let them in a tree. The parents didn't even have to reach up for them. They were literally low enough that a parent just reached over and plucked them like goofy fruit from the branch. I felt very sad for those children.
Tell that to the rare set of parents who let their kids go to the park alone and get in trouble for doing so.
Mostly because if something happens parents will be attacked and tortured by social services.
Quite the saps!
parents nowdays don't have much time either
these are the same kids who grew up and set rules on the next generation of kids.......