Things from your childhood.

[Morkonan]

What are some things from your childhood? Your earliest memories that others might share? What sort of books did kids your age have? What did they watch on television or listen to on the radio?

Sure, some of us are still "kids," even if we're old farts. But, that doesn't matter - We're all here because we've enjoyed the same thing. (Egosoft's games!) But, perhaps, there are other things that we've all enjoyed, too? So, what could those other common ties be?

Some examples from my own early childhood.

Books: The Boxcar Children, The Mad Scientists' Club, Beverly Cleary's books, Ranger Rick, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_%28short_story%29

Television: The Banana Splits, Scooby Doo, Superfriends, Star Trek Animated and Star Trek Original, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Ultraman

Some toys: The original "G.I. Joe", Erector Set, Lincoln Logs. Revell plastic models, Ral Partha lead miniatures, and die-cut balsa wood rubber-band-powered planes, like these Rubber-powered planes

I'm leaving the rest for other old farts, but I'm also curious what the "soon to be old farts" might have fond memories of during their relatively recent "childhood." Can you remember what your favorite "thing" was that someone else may have enjoyed, too?

(All prompted by a rather lengthy exchange that included Estes and various combustibles...)

[Alan Phipps]

Main Book: Arthur Mee's Children's Encyclopedia 1950s red 10 volume version (included stories, sciences, arts, history, geography, crafting, games & puzzles - well almost anything a young child that could read needed back then).

TV: The Woodentops, Andy Pandy, Flower Pot Men, Sooty, Muffin the Mule. (On 8 inch greenish monochrome CRT TV with two channels; BBC and ITV.)

Toys: Meccano, Dinky Toys, Cowboy outfit with silver cap guns, tricycle/bicycle.

[pjknibbs]

I suspect this will be different between different countries. Having said that, I also remember the Banana Splits, I think mainly because of the Arabian Nights cartoon they had on every week ("Size of an elephant!"). Of course, there was the Trumptonshire trilogy (Trumpton, Chigley and Camberwick Green) which every UK person of a certain age will remember fondly--they even spoofed it in an episode of the UK Life on Mars.

Books: I was a fairly voracious reader so it's difficult to pick out anything that really stands out, apart from The Lord of the Rings, of course--read that for the first time when I was 5 or thereabouts and have probably read through it another dozen times since!

Toys: Astro Wars, the Binatone TV Master (about halfway down the page), and of course the first home computer my parents bought myself and my twin brother--bless them, they knew nothing about computers, as that purchase clearly shows!

[Morkonan]

I suspect this will be different between different countries.

And, that's the whole point! We may be from different countries, but we've already got something in common, so it's probable we've got some other things in common, too. And, I'm really interested in the experiences of others in countries other than my own, even in other cultures. What sort of cherished, childish, things do they remember growing up with?

I just learned Alan liked Dinky! I LOVED DINKY TOYS! They were the "Cadillac" of toys, to me. Expensive "as all get out.. " though. I had two, treasured, Dinky toys. A tracked missile launcher thingie and a tank, probably a Chieftain-like thing or a Patton, can't remember really. I still have them, albeit a bit beat up, in a shoebox somewhere. They actually "fired" too! (Before agencies started to "protect" children from such things. "You'll put your eye out and choke on the small parts as the same time."

I had several cowboy sets, too. Those shiny chromed cap-guns, cheap dissolve-in-water felt hat... Likely toxic-almost-plastic holster, tin badge...

"I love the smell of cap-guns in the morning."

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And, you remember The Banana Splits! I bet you can remember that song, too, just like I do. I also remember that Arabian serial show they had, too.

I bet there are some things people experienced in far-off places that we can all relate to in some way. Plus - What sorts of "weird" stuff did people enjoy we'd have no concept of? Some of Alan's kid's shows would have given me nightmares... And, I even remember watching "Howdy Doody!" (Nightmare fuel)

[pjknibbs]

And, you remember The Banana Splits! I bet you can remember that song, too, just like I do.

It's rather easy for me to remember the theme song (assuming that's the one you're talking about) because I heard it last Thursday! For some reason, Chris Evans on the Radio 2 breakfast show always plays it on a Thursday morning. I always wondered why it appeared to be talking about "bright blue sun", though...

[Terre]

And, you remember The Banana Splits! I bet you can remember that song, too, just like I do.

My favorite song from that show was.
Banana Splits - Wait Til Tomorrow

[Kapakio]

Television: The Banana Splits, Scooby Doo, Superfriends, Star Trek Animated and Star Trek Original, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Ultraman

Amanzingly, I watched exactly the same TV series, plus others like Speed Racer, The Flinstones, Mazinger Z

For Books, there was at home an encyclopedia of literature for children. I remember reading Gulliver Voyages and Oliver Twist. Then later I become intersted in science fiction and read almost all books from Ray Bradbury

For Toys, I remember playing a lot with Lego. I had a big box with thousand of pieces

[GCU Grey Area]

Doctor Who (Tom Baker era) stands out for me. It was pretty much my primary motivation for learning to read, when I discovered it was also available in book form. Remember being tremendously excited to realize that if I got the books I didn't have to wait an entire week (an eternity at that age) for the next episode. Have been a voracious reader, particularly of science fiction, ever since.

[Bishop149]

All of the Gerry Anderson stuff. . . . despite my gowing up in the 80's and these being from the 60's. Primarily Thunderbirds but also Stingray. Never did much like Captain Scarlet though.

Edit: Oh Lordy I also have vague memories of the very short lived Space Precint which I was about to say was very much in the same style as Gerry Anderson despite being a lot of live action. . . . . then I glanced at that Wiki and was reminded he actually did it. . . . . 3 decades after than Thunderbirds!

Other than that my parents had a pretty strict rule against watching TV in the mornings. . . . so I missed out on pretty much every other cartoon series that is considered seminal to my generation as they were pretty much all shown on a Saturday morning.

[Redvers Ganderpoke]

"Here is a box, a musical box.."

Agaton Sax books, Trumpton etc, Marine Boy.

[RegisterMe]

Not much that's good.

[CBJ]

With books, I think I started with Paddington and some Roald Dahl classics such as James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Fantastic Mr Fox. I fairly quickly discovered SciFi and fantasy, though, and was ploughing my way through authors such as Asimov, Heinlein and Tolkien before I hit double digits.

On TV, Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin seem to have been the primary providers of entertainment early on, through titles such as Ivor the Engine, Clangers, Bagpuss and Noggin the Nog. There were also others, of course, which were similar in style but not by them, for example Captain Pugwash and Mr Benn.

On the toy side, lots of Matchbox cars and a large, but not anything like as large as I'd have liked, amount of Lego (that really doesn't need a link, does it?) are the only things that really stick in my mind. It was a bit too early for much in the way of electronics, though I did get given an early Pong clone that provided quite a bit of entertainment considering how simple it was. I wish I'd had the foresight to keep hold of that!

Edit: Typo.

[Morkonan]

Not much that's good.

Well, to be honest, me too. BUT, kids are still kids and constantly looking, learning and seeking out some sort of "play." Even if it's just escapism. I escaped to books, hiking through the woods, along a nearby stream, going to friend's houses, etc.

Of course, there's having a rough time of it and, then, "having a rough time of it." There are people that have had relatively appalling childhoods, like refugees, child soldiers, prostitutes/slaves, horribly abused, etc.. There's always someone out there who's worse off than anyone, every time one cares to look. Still, I imagine that, if they manage not to be completely destroyed by their experiences, there's some child left there that, maybe, discovers some joy, wonder or happiness, if even for a moment.

I hope.