Figure 1.--Here we see playingn the street during the 1930s. This was in the Bronx (New Yorrk City). City kids for the most part did not hve access to play area, th ide walks n strets had to do. The boys seem to have a home-made waggon type vehicle. .

The prpsperity of the 1920s snded wiyh he great Depression of the 1930s. Many Ameican families no longer had much money to spend on the kids. A lot of kids had to relhy ontheir imaginstion for play. Technology comtinued to evolve. The movies appeared (1900s) and commercial radio (1920s). The Talkies appeared (1929) and the first full color films with the 'Wizard of Oz' and 'Gone with the Wind' (1939). Most films were still black and white. Money was tight, but families often found the movie and there were always bottles to be collected. The radio of course was free. Television was still expeimental, but mosdt familes had radios. There were mny popular serials such as the comedy "Amos n’ Andy' and the drama 'Empire Builders'. 'Empire' was the first radio western, but didn't last long. Boys liked serials like the 'Lone Ranger', 'Gang Busters', and 'The Shasow'. Shows for girls were much more limited. Comics were enormously popular, especially for boys. There sere comic strips in newsppers. Comic books cost 10 cents. Mockey Mouse was especially popular Superman appeared (1938). This is seem as the Golden Age of comics. American had made the transition to a majority urban poplation (1920s) and this only increased in the 1930s. This primrily mean big cities. The move to the suburbs was only beginning., This mean that mny children still played on the audewalk and in yhe streets. It was difficult to play baseball there, but stick ball was very popular. Thee were parks in tyhe cities, but few at the time had sports fields. Many populr toys were inexonsive, including included Yo-Yos, jacks, msrbles, bolo bats (wooden paddles with rubber balls attached by an elastic string), and others only 10-25 cents. The almost compulsory cowboy six-gun cap pistol cost a little more. Of course at the yome a kid felt well-heelded if the had a quarter. They were were purchased in five and dime stores. Bicycles and trikes were very popuar, but mostly middle-class kids at the time had vthem. Some city kids built cooters from wooden crates and roller-skate wheels. Amd mny kids had little red wagond. Some of the most popular boys' toys were metal army soldiers (none of his plastic nonnsence). English soldiers were especially popular. There sere also play sets incliding Lincoln Logs for the younger boys and mwtal Erector Sets for the little older boys. Girls were much more interested in dolls or sets of dish service or housewares--whivh boys looked on with thinly veiled disdain. Besides bikes, there were two items at the top of the wish list for most boys. Many wanted BB-Guns, but here mon had something ti syv bout it. Electric trains sets were also immensly popular, but more expensive. Board games hit the big time. Monompoly camge out of the Depression (1935). There wwas alwys checkers and chess for the more cerebrial. And there were outside games tht didn't require any equipment such as hide-and-seek ht didrequire adults. Othrs such as Simon Says and Red Ruder did require asdults. There was winter play, bnut these required wquippments likes skates and skis oir sleds. Organized sports were not yet wudesprad outside of highschools, but boys played pick-up games if a diekd of sone guy was availabke such as a vacant lot. Boy and Girl Scouts wete major out if school scr=tiviies. It was in the 30s tht the Girl Scouts began selling signature cookies.

Created: 2:54 PM 9/9/2021
Last updated: 2:54 PM 9/9/2021