Childhood in the 1960s looked very different from childhood nowadays. Kids spent much of their free time outside, finding ways to have fun without phones, tablets, or video games. Many children had more freedom to explore their neighborhoods on their own.
There were also everyday habits that would seem strange to many kids today. Here are 15 things that were common for many kids in the 1960s but might surprise children today.
1. Playing outside
Kids could leave the house after breakfast and stay outside for much of the day. They played in yards, parks, and neighborhood streets. Parents had no cellphones to check where they were.
2. Riding bikes without helmets
Bicycles were a favorite way for kids to get around. Helmets were not a normal part of childhood for most kids. Many children simply jumped on their bikes and took off.
3. Walking to school
Many children walked to school, sometimes with friends or siblings. Walking to school was not seen as odd.
4. Making Their Own Games
Kids had to create their own entertainment. They played tag, hide-and-seek, kickball, marbles, and jump rope.
5. Watching only a few TV Channels
Television was popular in the 1960s, but there were fewer choices than there are today. Many homes received only a small number of channels. Kids often had to wait an entire week to see the next episode of their favorite program.
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6. Sharing One Family Telephone
Many homes had only one telephone. It was often placed in a central part of the house.
7. Using Encyclopedias for homework
Many families used encyclopedias, dictionaries, and library books. Research could take much longer. Children had to write down information by hand.
8. Going to the library
Libraries were important places for schoolwork and reading. Children could spend hours looking through shelves for books about history, science, animals, or other subjects.
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9. Drinking from the same water fountain
At school, parks, and other public places, kids often used public drinking fountains. They did not carry large personal water bottles.
10. Eating school lunches with few choices
School lunches offered a small number of choices. Students generally ate what the cafeteria served that day.
11. Playing with simple toys
Many toys were much simpler than today’s electronic toys. Dolls, toy cars, wooden games, balls, building sets, and board games stimulated their imagination.
12. Going to the diner
For many children, going to a diner was not just about food. It was a chance to spend time with their parents.
13. Spending a few coins at the corner store
A child with a few coins could walk to a nearby store and choose a small treat. Candy, gum, soda, and other low-cost snacks were popular choices.
14. Listening to the Radio
Kids who wanted to hear music often turned on the radio. If a favorite song came on, they had to listen to it at that moment.
15. Spending Summer days outside
Kids played baseball, went swimming, and visited friends in their neighborhoods during summer vacations.
Interested in more content from the Swinging Sixties?
Check out 18 Pictures Showing What It Was Like to Be a Kid in the 1960s, a nostalgic look back at childhoods before helmets and fences got involved. Then step into the garage and kitchen with 16 Household Items From the 1960s Built to Last. And for the gadgets hiding behind the headlines, 14 Everyday Inventions We Didn’t Know Came From the 1960s explores the ATM, the computer mouse, and Kevlar, among others.
