Old Toys and Games

As young children we found lots of ways to play and have fun. There were all kinds of games to keep us active and busy. I believe we didn’t know “Boring “. What was that anyway. One time when my grand kids wanted to know what we did when we were young, I wrote them a poem, it starts like this; 

There were toys to make
Hay to rake
Whistles to whistle
Tin can for a kettle

A dozen or more verses, I called it Busy Boys. There was, hopscotch, marbles four corner chush, old smoky camps on a hill in the bush, piddley on and on there is no end to the list. Some games and toys were specific to certain towns or areas but most of them were common to communities all over Newfoundland. In the painting I have two boys, one rolling the hoop or old tire band or rim, the other boy id pulling a toy truck. It is also important to remember that most boys could build their own toys with real tools. How cool was that.