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British boys played many of the same games European and American boys played. A wide variety of popular games were played by children throughout Europe
with minor differences. Games like tag, hide-and-go seek, thre-blind-mice, and many more were played throughout Europe. There were many rhyming games. The
rhymes might be different, but the games were often the same. There were also some destinctive loval or regional games. One game not played in other countries
was the annual conker fights each Fall. This seems to have been a uniquely British game. School boys devery Fall would ready their new conkers. Many activities
were temporary fads, but some like yoyos occassional reaapear. Racing toy cars like the boys here, probanbly in the late 1930s was popular at this school. Modern
boys like eadio controlled cars. Many games were more popular with boys than girls or visa versa. Often the younger boys played the games popular with the girls.
British boys played many of the same games European and American boys played. A wide variety of popular games were played by children throughout Europe
with minor differences. Games like tag, hide-and-go seek, threr-blind-mice, and many more were played throughout Europe. There were many rhyming games. There were also some destinctive local or regional games.
A annual ritual streaching centuries are the Fall conker fights. This seems to have been a uniquely British game. School boys devery Fall would ready their new conkers. This appears to be a game not played in other countries. It does appear to have been carried to some former British colonies. A HBC reader from Australia tells us that remembers conker fights as a boy. Conkers were always popular in the autumn and everybody would have their own secret recipe for making theirs harder and more impervious to shattering.
First appearing in the 1980s, electronic games have become a passion with many boys. They appear to be less popular with girls.
There were many rhyming games. The rhymes might be different, but the games were often the same.
No country is more important to the development of modern sports than England. Many sports have English origins (rugby footbal, soccer, cricket, and hockey). These sports were spread around the world because of the importance of the British Empire so that now England often looses international competitions to its former colonies. Ctricket is very popular in South Asia and the Caribbean, Rugby is very popular in Ne Zealand and Fiji. American has developed some important sports, some based on English influences (baseball and football) and others entirely unique (basketball). As boys got older sports became increasingly important. And here the most important sport was football. Cricket was a distant second. I think games were earlier more important with boysz. Perhaps because of the media, sports have become important for younger boys as well.
Tah was a prenial favorite at school and home. We note that some American schools are banning tag. I'm not sure if that is the case in England An English reader writes, "We had far less play equipment at break times than children have available today. At primary games like hop scotch
or circle games would be played but tag and stuck in the mud were more usual."
Many activities
were temporary fads, but some like yoyos occassional reaapear. Racing toy cars like the boys here, probanbly in the late 1930s was popular at this school. Modern
boys like radio controlled cars. But this appears to be more a toy than a game.
Games such as tag and hide and seek were favourites up to quite an 'old' age. An English reader writes, "I don't think we had quite the sae concept of street cred or having to appear cool. British Bulldog was a favoured game if we could play it without one of the softer teachers stopping us. It can get rather rough,
especially when played with large numbers and on concrete. The idea is for one person to be "on"; when they shout British Bulldog everyone else lined up at one end of the playground has to run past them to the other end without being grounded (backside on the floor). Anyone caught joins the
middle until there is only one person left to face the gauntlet. Brilliant fun even if it did leave you with cuts, grazes, bruises and sometimes torn uniform (which would lead to a painful backside if you were unluky!)."
Many games were more popular with boys than girls or visa versa. Often the younger boys played the games popular with the girls.
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