As a child during the 1960s and 1970s I loved to play games — I still do when time permits. Perhaps almost everyone finds playing games fun to some extent!
I enjoyed board games and card games, as well as outdoor games like croquet and tag. They provided fun, cheap entertainment.
Many of the games I’ve enjoyed have been played for centuries, such as checkers and chess. But numerous others were either trademarked games or trademarked versions of old games.
Persons can have hours of fun with just a couple of favorite games. But I was blessed to get the opportunity to play a wide variety of them.
Among the many trademarked games I played while growing up were Parker Brothers games like Clue®, Monopoly®, Risk®, and Rook®. I also played Milton Bradley Company games like Battleship® and Stratego®. And, I played at least a couple of Selchow and Righter games, including Scrabble®. And, there were many others. Although Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, and Selchow and Righter were separate companies when I was a child, they are now all subsidiaries of Hasbro, as noted on thebiggamehunter.com1, as well as other sources.
During hot summer afternoons I remember happily spending many hours with friends playing Monopoly®. When my mom was caught up on her housework she would often join us, which added to the fun.
My mom created a homemade version of a board game called Fox and Geese, then taught me how to play this game where the geese seek to trap the fox(es). I think she learned it from her mother who enjoyed it. Fox and Geese has been played in various versions for centuries, according to GamesCrafters.Berkely.edu2 and numerous other websites.
My dad often joined in for games of Rook® after work and on weekends when one of my friends was over. Rook® was especially enjoyable with four players, with two persons playing as partners. Often mom and I would partner together and dad (who was the best player) would team up with one of my neighborhood friends. It became my favorite four person game and still is today.
Frequently on summer evenings after it cooled down, a group of us would play croquet, tag, or other outdoor games. Due to the mountains in southeastern Kentucky where I lived at the time, there was usually a relatively lengthy period of shady daylight in the low-lying areas after the sun went behind the mountaintop in the early evening.
I enjoyed much fun and fellowship playing games. When I was in college I often purchased a game as a Christmas gift to take home for the younger of my two sisters. We spent many happy hours together playing various games during my visits from college.
While the focus was on fun and fellowship, some games were educational. I learned country names and locations from playing Risk® (not always accurately due to the game’s geographic inaccuracies). I improved my vocabulary and spelling by playing Scrabble®.
As if playing games at home wasn’t enough, playing peg games on tables in restaurants was a fun way to pass time while waiting for food (or for others to finish eating) when our family took a vacation trip to the southeastern United States (further southeast for those who think Kentucky where I live is in the southeast). I’ve since seen the peg games here in Kentucky, too.
While dad drove the family on trips, mom would entertain my sisters and me by playing a game with us to see who could spot the most Volkswagen Beetles, which were then popular. The first person to see one would say, “I see one,” and we kept count to see who saw the most.
In high school my best friend taught me how to play the card game Rummy while in study hall. (Yes, we frequently studied, too!) We had lots of fun playing Rummy.
Much conversation and friendly competition took place as I played games with family and friends. One can devote many enjoyable hours to playing a few favorite games without the expense of driving somewhere or buying tickets. And conversation seems to flow better in some ways with old fashioned games than with a video game.
Of course it is important to keep games in proper perspective. Doing other fun activities, volunteering, studying, and working all are an important part of a balanced life. However, happily playing various games with friends and relatives has been a joyous part of my life. Simple yes, but definitely enjoyable, safe, and memorable.
NOTE: This article was last revised on July 1, 2011.
SOURCES:
1TheBigGameHunter.com; “A Brief History of American Games”; thebiggamehunter.com (Webpage accessed July 1, 2011.)
2GamesCrafters.Berkely.Edu; “fox and geese”; GamesCrafters.berkely.edu; Last modified May 24, 2008 (Webpage accessed July 1, 2011.)
