With Spring in the air, I’m feeling nostalgic. I am convinced I am regressing since dealing with menopause, or maybe I’m just going crazy, but I have this strong urge to turn the clock back, not to necessarily fix things or do things differently but to enjoy certain things again and with more vigor. I want to go back to the schoolyard and play double-dutch without fear. I want to play tag and box ball on my street and win. I want to have my first kiss behind my neighbor’s house and feel the electricity.Most importantly, I want to play again with toys, especially these BPA, toxin-filled ones:
1. Lemon Twist or Footsie
An absolute favorite for girls everywhere. A plastic loop wrapped around your ankle and there was a plastic lemon at the end. You swirled it around and jumped over the lemon. This was great if you were an introvert like me. You didn’t need to join a jump rope “gang” and ask to play, you could just jump over your own lemon singing, “lemon lime, you gotta be on time”, which was also a jump rope song.
2. Big Wheel/Green Machine
This was like having your own motorcycle at 5 years old. The Green Machine was, obviously green, and a bit bigger and faster (or so it seemed) and had a brake on the side so you could skid out on the street.
3. Jump Rope
Head bobbing was the name of the game with jump rope, especially with two jump ropes, playing double-dutch. You waited your turn to get into the ropes with your head bobbing and weaving. Oh the songs we would sing!
4. Sit and Spin
Sit on a plastic circle; twist the pole for hours of spinning fun!
5. Inch Worm
Giant worm with wheels. The worm would bob as you rolled.
6. Chinese jump rope
This rope went around your ankles you needed three people to play. The song was: “In, out, side by side, on, in, out.”
7. Slip and Slide
Probably the best and likely the most dangerous toy. In the summer we would place the slip and slide on the grass after a summer rain and dive, face first on this thing. We were prepping for stage diving.
8. Baton
Correct that, this was the most dangerous toy. Rubber and metal twirling device. You could poke your eye out with that thing!
9. Wall Ball
In my day (said in a crotchety old lady voice), it was pink and hurt if you got in its way. You hit this with your hand against a wall, like racquetball but with your hands.
10. Hippity Hop
One of my all time favorites. A big ball you could sit on with horns for a head, and bounce for days.
In all honesty, my favorite toy was my Shaun Cassidy record player. I now have wonderful friends who bring back pieces of my childhood to me from time to time. A couple of years ago, one of my best friends, Rachel bought me a new record player for my birthday so I could rock out to my David Bowie and Kiss records when I’m feeling the vibe.
