What were your childhood activities?

[Rain Man]

The piano thread got me thinking. What organized activities did you do as a child? Include sports leagues, lessons (e.g., swimming, violin, etc.), camps, and anything else that involved signing up. Go up to 6th grade.

Also include your current age. I keep hearing that organized activities have risen over time, so I'm curious.

As well as I can remember, here are mine:

Current Age: 48

Activities:

3rd Grade: Little League baseball. Parents signed me up because I wanted to play football and they wouldn't let me. It was a disaster. I played right field for one inning all season.

3rd Grade: Cub scouts. That one lasted a month or two. I have no idea why I signed up or got signed up. I don't know if it was my idea or my parents', but it wasn't a good experience.

4th and 5th Grade: I don't think it counts, but I did some summer movie thing both years where my parents bought a pack of tickets and I would go and chill out once a week on child fare. I don't know if it was an activity or a school special, but I think I got the promo stuff at school. I didn't go with any type of group, though, so it probably doesn't count.

5th Grade: Softball. Parents signed me up because they kept wanting to distract me from football. It was a disaster. I think I got a couple of innings in right field.

6th Grade: Some diversionary after-school program. I have no idea what it was about, but I think my parents signed me up. It may have been a latchkey kid kind of deal to keep us supervised after school. It was a blast because we all would bus over to the Boys' Club and play bombardment nonstop.

6th Grade: Basketball League: It was some grade-school league. I don't remember why we did it, but some friends and I started a team and got hammered in every game because none of us knew how to play basketball.

Others may remind of more activities, but right now I think that's all I did. I never had any type of lessons and never went to any kind of camp. My parents never let me play Mighty Mite football even though I asked every year.

I remember going to the auditorium in 5th and 6th grades where we were shown promotional films for Camp Arrowhead, and I thought that was just about the neatest thing ever, but apparently my parents disagreed, because I never went. In retrospect, that seems to be a cruel thing to do to kids whose parents wouldn't/couldn't pay for it.

[JD10367]

Solo masturbating.

[4th and Long]

Also include your current age.

Current Age: Slightly younger than you, you old fart.

Activities: Baseball, football, etc., and other man/child-like things.

[luv]

Current age: 34

Age 5 until sophomore year of high school - Roller skating. Figure skating and speed skating, with a little roller hockey thrown in for fun. Several speed skating trophies and went to Nationals in figure skating in 5th grade.

5th grade - Honor choir

7th to 8th grade - tae-kwon-do

Freshman year through junior year of high school - color guard with the marching band. Made captain my senior year, but had to quit to get an after school job.

Sophomore to junior year of high school - choir/show choir

Anything organized activity since then has involved a paycheck.

[The Franchise]

Current Age: 30

I don't remember specific years or grades but I participated in soccer, basketball, cub scouts, wrestling, karate, football, choir and drama.

[4th and Long]

drama.
You mean Chiefs Planet? :D

[vailpass]

My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.

[seclark]

current age: 50

cub scouts
4-h
little league baseball

sec

[siberian khatru]

Doing your mom.

[ModSocks]

Current Age: 26

Age 8-12: Drug Runnin' and Co-Pimpin'.

13+ Football.

[Hydrae]

Age: 50

I played Little League for a couple of years but it was before I got glasses. I sucked big time but had a great on-base average I am sure since kids that age can't pitch a strike for nothing.

Played in a youth basketball league similar to Little League BB.

I ran cross country in junior high and was captain of the chess club in High School. Heck I beat the state champ my junior year!

Cub Scouts through Weblos. Got my arrow of light but did not pursue Boy Scouts as I joined Awanas instead.

Played trumpet in band (mentioned in the piano thread). This lead to me being able to travel to Europe in 1976 with 50 other teenaged Americans. I spent the bi-centennial in Lucerne, Switzerland. Certainly one of the highlights of my life.

[MOhillbilly]

36
violin
piano
soccer
football
work

[vailpass]

Age: 44
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, IA

Some things I can remember:

Swimming at Thomas Park swimming pool most summer days from 8-16 years old
Seining for crawdads and leeches to sell at Bill's Bait Shop on 7th Ave. in Marion from 9-12
Delivered Penny Saver then Cedar Rapids Gazette from 8-14
Walked beans and detasseled corn in summers from 10-15
Lawn mowing business from 9-12
Trapped on Indian Creek in the winter for beaver, fox, coon, muskrat 11-14
Little League baseball from 7-14
Football, organized and neighborhood, from 7-17
Basketball, organized and neighborhood, from 9-17
Worked for my dad from 10-24

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

42

little league baseball (was good at that)
basketball (sucked at that)
cub scouts/boy scouts
school band (trombone... hated that... wanted to be a drummer or at least sax)
choir/chorus
show choir
drama/speech (included plays, musicals, speech giving, competitions)
paper route
mowing lawns (if that counts, probably not)
a couple church camps
a college prep program all through high school that included summers living at ESU and taking classes

I know I was supossed to stop at 6th grade but no one else paid attention to that so I didn't either.

[SuperChief]

22

Riding my bike to the swimming pool everyday during the summer
Playing baseball
Jamming with friends in our shitty little band
Auto-erotic asphyxiation

You know...the usual.

[DaFace]

29

-Soccer
-Swimming lessons
-Bowling league
-Piano lessons
-Church camp (heh)
-Band
-Cross Country
-Track

Those were the big ones anyway.

[SuperChief]

29

-Soccer
-Swimming lessons
-Bowling league
-Piano lessons
-Church camp (heh)
-Band
-Cross Country
-Track

Those were the big ones anyway.

This, I can appreciate.

[bevischief]

My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.
LMAO

[Al Bundy]

Current age 39.
I played little league baseball and football from around 6 to when I graduated high school.

[Stewie]

2nd grade - Demanded drum lessons. Still play.
3rd grade - Little League AKA Hot Stove (Coach pitch). Played baseball every summer through my sophomore year of college.
3rd grade - Started Cub Scouts, advanced to Webelos and quit Boy Scouts after one month. It got in the way of sports.
5th grade - YMCA Football
5th grade - YMCA Basketball
5th grade - Piano lessons
5th grade and for many summers after - Presbyterian Church Camp in Parkville.

I think the difference between then (1970s) and now is we didn't play nearly as many games in a season.

[bevischief]

36 Lots of soccer grade school thru high school indoor and out door, biking riding, and a job a dish washer in high school.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Current age 39.
I played little league baseball and football from around 6 to when I graduated high school.

I would have placed you at about 17... lol......... no offense.

[FAX]

FAX's life defined by activities.

Grade School

1. Chasing pussy. (I was an early bloomer.)
2. Scouts. (Cub & Boy.)
3. Hunting with father and friends. (Quail & Pheasant & Elk & Deer.)
4. Tennis. (Love tennis.)
5. Baseball.
6. Swimming. (Love swimming.)
7. Camping.
8. Music. (This started around 6th grade ... first guitar for Xmas when 12.)

High School

1. Chasing Pussy.
2. Music.
3. Alcohol.

College

1. Chasing Pussy.
2. Music.
3. Alcohol.

Post-College

1. Chasing Pussy.
2. Music.
3. Alcohol.

Yep ... that pretty much sums it up.

FAX

[Kyle DeLexus]

Current Age: 26

Age 8-12: Drug Runnin' and Co-Pimpin'.

13+ Football.

I never could get my parents to sign the permission slip.

[Blick]

25

2nd grade to 8th grade - football out at Heritage Park. Killed everyone. Good times.

3rd grade through 7th grade - baseball at 3&2. Won our division or league or whatever it was called every year, I think. Also good times.

8th grade - traveling team baseball. Played in a league out in Wyandotte, and maybe Lawrence too, I can't remember. Won state. Went to nationals in Houston and got 11th out of about 60 teams. Pretty cool.

3rd grade - GABL basketball. We were decent. Got 2nd place in our league, I think.

5th, 6th grade - PABL basketball. Some league out in Olathe that we thought would be better competition. We were right, but it turned out to be too good. We got crushed on a regular basis by bigger teams. My dad was the coach. It wasn't fun.

I did swimming lessons when I was really young as well. I think that's it as far as organized stuff goes.

[BigRedChief]

51

Kindergarden to Pre-High school

Playing Baseball
Playing Football
Summers at the pool


High School
Sex/Drugs/Rock and Roll

[Over-Head]

Lets see child hood activities....

-Monday night bible reading 1-3 hrs.
-Tuesday night 1.5 hr JW Kingdoom Hall meeting
-Wed night 2hr. forced personal study
-Thursday night 2.5 hr JW Kingdoom Hall meeting
-Friday night 2-3 hr Watchtower study with family friends
-Sat morning pounding on doors peddling the Watchtower and Awake 2-4hrs.
-Sun morning 2 hour JW Kingdoom Hall meeting, followed by more door pounding for 2hrs.


So is the life of a person raised in a cult :banghead:


Unknown by anyone activities:
Playing in Glam bands with so much costume/make up on NO ONE could tell it was even me from the age of 14 to 21

injesting HUGE amounts of booze and drugs trying to make sence of a life I hated but didn't have the guts to leave.

[Hammock Parties]

I had to knock on doors and distribute bullshit religious tracts.

[Hammock Parties]

-Monday night bible reading
-Tuesday night 1.5 hr JW Kingdoom Hall meeting
-Wed night 2hr. forced personal study
-Thursday night 2.5 hr JW Kingdoom Hall meeting
-Friday night 2-3 hr Watchtower study with family friends
-Sat morning pounding on doors peddling the Watchtower and Awake
-Sun morning 2 hour JW Kingdoom Hall meeting, followed by more door pounding.



HOLY SHIT.

I thought my Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday-Sunday rituals were bad.

7 hrs a week for me.....about 15 for you?

I would have rebelled for sure.

[underEJ]

40

Summer camp every year starting age 6 until 16.
camp fire girls until 2nd grade
horseback riding lessons
clarinet lessons
violin lessons
dance lessons
art classes at the Nelson
tennis lessons
swimming lessons (continued at summer camp all the way to lifeguard)
some strange gymnastic like classes, but not really, at the Jewish Community Center. (really fun, but they were stretching it calling it gymnastics, mostly organized play on some cool equipment.)
science fair every year from 5th grade to 8th grade
organized school team sports started in 7th grade (field hockey, basketball, track)
several leadership and outward bound type programs starting in 6th grade.
church youth group

seems like somebody was trying to keep me out of the house!

[BigRedChief]

Lets see child hood activities....

-Monday night bible reading 1-3 hrs.
-Tuesday night 1.5 hr JW Kingdoom Hall meeting
-Wed night 2hr. forced personal study
-Thursday night 2.5 hr JW Kingdoom Hall meeting
-Friday night 2-3 hr Watchtower study with family friends
-Sat morning pounding on doors peddling the Watchtower and Awake 2-4hrs.
-Sun morning 2 hour JW Kingdoom Hall meeting, followed by more door pounding for 2hrs.


So is the life of a person raised in a cult :banghead:


Unknown by anyone activities:
Playing in Glam bands with so much costume/make up on NO ONE could tell it was even me from the age of 14 to 21

injesting HUGE amounts of booze and drugs trying to make sence of a life I hated but didn't have the guts to leave.Wow dude I thought I was a fish out of water in my family.

[listopencil]

43

Elementary School (1st-5th)
Moved to Texas. At one point I was signed up for boy Scouts, did it for three months. Other than that I ran wild and sowed the seeds of chaos. Almost successfully derailed a freight train. Started fires, broke windows, vandalized personal and public property. Got into some petty theft. Blew things up with (real) fireworks, they were legal in Texas at the time. Stuff like that. No organized activity.

[Kyle DeLexus]

43

Elementary School (1st-5th)
Moved to Texas. At one point I was signed up for boy Scouts, did it for three months. Other than that I ran wild and sowed the seeds of chaos. Almost successfully derailed a freight train. Started fires, broke windows, vandalized personal and public property. Got into some petty theft. Blew things up with (real) fireworks, they were legal in Texas at the time. Stuff like that. No organized activity.

How does that work? Either you derail a train or you don't, there is no 'almost successfully' about it. That could possibly be a worse phrase than 'I could care less'.

[DeezNutz]

Pimping. It wasn't easy.

[listopencil]

How does that work? Either you derail a train or you don't, there is no 'almost successfully' about it. That could possibly be a worse phrase than 'I could care less'.

I was interrupted by rail workers. They made me remove the structure I had built to derail the train. If they hadn't come along to clear the track, the next train would have derailed.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

I was interrupted by rail workers. They made me remove the structure I had built to derail the train. If they hadn't come along to clear the track, the next train would have derailed.

fuckin Broncos fans

[listopencil]

****in Broncos fans

The crazy thing is I would do all this shit and they would just let me go. It was mostly between the ages of seven and ten years old. I was nine when I did that.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

The crazy thing is I would do all this shit and they would just let me go. It was mostly between the ages of seven and ten years old. I was nine when I did that.

They should have seen the signs. People like that always grow up to be Raiders or Broncos fans. Then it's just too late.


;)

[ModSocks]

Lets see child hood activities....

-Monday night bible reading 1-3 hrs.
-Tuesday night 1.5 hr JW Kingdoom Hall meeting
-Wed night 2hr. forced personal study
-Thursday night 2.5 hr JW Kingdoom Hall meeting
-Friday night 2-3 hr Watchtower study with family friends
-Sat morning pounding on doors peddling the Watchtower and Awake 2-4hrs.
-Sun morning 2 hour JW Kingdoom Hall meeting, followed by more door pounding for 2hrs.


So is the life of a person raised in a cult :banghead:


Unknown by anyone activities:
Playing in Glam bands with so much costume/make up on NO ONE could tell it was even me from the age of 14 to 21

injesting HUGE amounts of booze and drugs trying to make sence of a life I hated but didn't have the guts to leave.

Marilyn Manson, is that you?

[chefsos]

OK, I'll play.

52.

Organized activities (other than going to school of course): 0.

I wasn't interested in any of that bullshit and my parents didn't make me go.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Marilyn Manson, is that you?

We have no future
heaven wasn't made for me
we burn ourselves to hell
as fast as it can be
I wish that I was good enough
then I'd know that I am not alone


Just some MM lyrics off the top of my head

[listopencil]

We ended up putting our kids into a lot of activities growing up. They all had constant supervision until about 13 or so. Well, they are my offspring. Do you blame me?

[ThaVirus]

My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.

Goldmember... Niiiiiiiice.

[bobbymitch]

Too old (65) to remember ages, but:
One year at Camp Gravois in central MO.
For a couple of years, I got my butt sent to stay with grand parents in Seattle for the entire summer.
I do remember old kid games such as kick the can, scrub baseball (great for 5 to 7 players), etc.
Swimming at Kernoodles Lake.
Biking around Swope Park and using Brush Creek as our main road through KC.
Sledding down 63rd in Swope Park. The city would close down one lane and we would sled down the other. Great ride down,but a long walk back up.
In high school we moved to Shawnee and had a lake in the back yard. Never had to go anywhere else. A little slice of heaven in the city. Great make-out and skinny dipping area.

[JD10367]

So is the life of a person raised in a cult :banghead: . . . injesting HUGE amounts of booze and drugs trying to make sence of a life I hated but didn't have the guts to leave.

Wow. I had no idea it was so tough to be a Canadian. :D

[Jenson71]

Allison-Henderson Park was just up the street from where I lived, and the leisure services offered some good programs up there: tumbling, pottery/sculpting. I also played tee-ball.

As I grew up, I stayed with baseball and added basketball, soccer and cub scouts.

Soccer lasted until about 5th grade, basketball til 9th grade, and then it was just scouting and baseball until my junior year of high school -- by then, I became an Eagle Scout and didn't bother with baseball, a sport I wasn't so great at.

Football was something I did every year from about 3rd grade on out.

Age 23