Listography - Games I used to play.

Ah the youth of today. Wrapped around their games consoles like an alcoholic round her evening gin.

But it wasn't always like that you know (she says putting down her gin). In my day it was all BMXs and building dens. In and out of friends houses and back in time of tea.

But I'm not going to get all misty-eyed.

Well maybe just a little...because the purpose of this week's Listography is to keep alive those games you used to spend all day playing outside, only to get up with scratched knees and do it all again the next day.

This week it's Top 5 Games of my Childhood.

1. Mob Mob.
We called it Mob Mob, the rest of the world called it Tip the Can. Like an over ambitious game of Hide and Seek the rules are that one person seeks whilst the rest of the group hide but there's a 'base' involved that the seeker also needs to guard. 'Hiders' who are already found can be freed if someone 'Tips the Can' or touches whatever the pre-agreed base is before the seeker does. It's very simple, though you wouldn't necessarily think so from that description.

2. Red Rover.
A great party game that never fails to end in tears. Two teams of players line up holding hands and facing each other. Team 1 calls on a player from Team 2 by name. The chosen player has to run at full speed and break through the weakest link of the 'chain'. If they break the chain they get to take a player back to their team. If they don't the join the new team. Good for turncoats with weak wrists.

3. Bike Hockey.
Ok so this is a makey uppy one but weren't they the best kind? Everyone grabs a bike and a brush (I know, I know). A goal and a football is then all you need. We never bothered with having teams - every man for himself was so much more dangerous.

4. Sevensies.
I have no idea if this is the proper name or if I'm listing them in the right order but here we go:
All you need a tennis ball and a wall.
 - Throw the ball at the wall and catch it  x7
 - Throw the ball at the wall, let it bounce and then catch it  x6
 - Bounce the ball like a basketball on the ground x5
 - Bounce the ball then 'bat' it against the wall then catch it  x4
 - Throw ball under one leg, hit wall then catch x3
 - Bounce the ball from ground to wall and catch x2
 - Throw ball in the air, turn around once, then catch x1
I'm not sure if there was a next stage once that was completed...
(Mo if you're reading this maybe you could enlighten me?!)

5. Building Dens
We spent days in our garden building more and more elaborate dens. The last one I remember was in the middle of a hedge by the gatepost, had enough room for about 5 people, a roof, seats and an actual chimney. It didn't work though, every time we lit a fire in the 'fireplace' we were smoked out of it. Thinking back on this I'm rather concerned no one ever stopped us from getting inside a dry flammable bush and lighting a fire whilst we were still inside...

Maybe our kids are better off with their video games after all.

Want a trip down memory lane? Linky up by writing your own Top 5 childhood games and then adding your post below.

Tag, you're it!