Playground Games

What did you play on the playgound when you were five? Do you remember?

I have these vague recollections of girls v. boys chasing games. Us girls would get cootie booster shots before each recess. For some reason, I think that our playground area was in a clearing in the woods next to our school. I remember running around and under bushes trying to escape the boys. And somehow, the top of the ladder for the slide was "Ghoul" (or Home Base). I don't think I adopted the term Ghoul until we moved to Iowa when I was 8 - or maybe it was in Minnesota when I was 12.

In Iowa, the playground games were more organized. Kick ball and four square in the summer and sledding in the winter. We had a great sledding hill that led from the playground area down to the football field. Do they allow sledding on school grounds these days - or is the insurance risk too high?

Back in Milwaukee, Lyra's recess time seemed to be pretty much dedicated to climbing on the playground equipment. The kids were still learning to climb ladders and take the slides without adult supervision. Last night, Lyra was telling me of her play time games at Gulf Montessori. She was the dog owner. Noora, Ahmed, Sultan, and Abdulrahman were her dogs. Meera and Inaya were the cats. And Gahlib and Zaid would try to get Lyra and she'd have her doggies chase them. You go girl!!