In the world of smart phones when everything is just one click away, even our precious lives have become more like a tech-thingy! As an effort to undo the binds of smart gadgets, here we bring selected photos, depicting how our own imagination used to be the chief director of the program called life!
If you remember those days before we had smart phones, then you may have the precious memories of the times when we were kids on spring or summer break, and our parents kicked us out of the house to play out side with our friends. Of course, we got into trouble, but we also rode on bikes, played with sticks, swings, balls, and bats—in short our fun did not depend on any gadgets!
We wanted to show you that this is how our forefathers did it when they were kids too. We wanted to inspire that same sense of creative imagination that makes kids who they are. Here is a collection of beautiful and nostalgic old photos of kids at play from years gone by.
#1 This is girl playing on the ol’ banjo with her best friend
#2 Kids in Manchester 1946 rig up a make-shift swing on a lamp post.
![Children In A Manchester Street Find Their Own Enjoyment With The Aid Of A Rope And A Lamp Post, 1946 Children In A Manchester Street Find Their Own Enjoyment With The Aid Of A Rope And A Lamp Post, 1946](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/3_historical-children-playing-photography-58a456e800974__700.jpg)
#3 These kids are playing “push the peanut” at King’s Cross street in London 1938.
![Children Playing "Push The Peanut", King's Cross Street London, 1938 Children Playing "Push The Peanut", King](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/3_historical-children-playing-photography-1-589dbed7a3e1c__700.jpg)
#4 Two boys give their little dog a lift.
![Best Friends Best Friends](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/8_historical-children-playing-photography-58a41777c38e9__700.jpg)
#5 A young French ballerina performing live for ‘Bear’ in Paris 1961.
![Girl Dancing In Front Of Her Teddy Bear, Paris, 1961 Girl Dancing In Front Of Her Teddy Bear, Paris, 1961](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/30_historical-children-playing-photography-58a4177c0bfed__700.jpg)
#6 Here are some more kids dancing in the street in New York City in the 1940s.
![Two Little Kids Dancing On The Streets Of New York City, 1940s Two Little Kids Dancing On The Streets Of New York City, 1940s](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/66_historical-children-playing-photography-99-58a5841ea60b0__700.jpg)
#7 A circus strongman named Paul Remos lifts his son with one arm to feed the giraffe at the London zoo in the 1950s.
#8 Here, these boys are fishing for change at the time of the Great Depression in New York 1930.
![Three Boys Are Fishing For Change During The Great Depression, New York, 1930 Three Boys Are Fishing For Change During The Great Depression, New York, 1930](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/34_historical-children-playing-photography-6-589dbeda16d49__700.jpg)
#9 A band of kids and their canine friend play teeter-todder in Northamptonshire.
![Even The Dog Gets A Go On This See-Saw, Northamptonshire Even The Dog Gets A Go On This See-Saw, Northamptonshire](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/92_historical-children-playing-photography-58-58ac19d3e2212__700.jpg)
#10 A couple of kids are playing ‘skippy balls’ in London.
![Kids Playing With Skippy Balls, London Kids Playing With Skippy Balls, London](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/59_historical-children-playing-photography-58a4176890e71__700.jpg)
#11 This young man has been hung out to dry by his friends in Paris.
![Child Hung Up On A Clothing Rope, Paris Child Hung Up On A Clothing Rope, Paris](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/71_historical-children-playing-photography-40-589dbf2b72417__700.jpg)
#12 These young girls demonstrate masterful riding skills.
![Two Girls Ride Sheep Two Girls Ride Sheep](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/55_historical-children-playing-photography-58a4657ed171a__700.jpg)
#13 Was there ever anything quite like chalk drawing on the sidewalk when we were kids? This one was in Manchester 1966.
![Children Drawing With Chalk, Manchester, 1966 Children Drawing With Chalk, Manchester, 1966](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/21_historical-children-playing-photography-24-589dbef77735f__700.jpg)
#14 This is how city kids had fun back in New York 1964. Have you ever seen anything like it?
![Kids Dancing In The Street, New York, 1964 Kids Dancing In The Street, New York, 1964](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/73_historical-children-playing-photography-128-58ac16e46422e__700.jpg)
#15 What an interesting place to have a friendly boxing match between buds! This was in New York in the 1940s.
![Children Playing, New York, 1940s Children Playing, New York, 1940s](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/36_historical-children-playing-photography-9-589dbee181dfc__700.jpg)
#16 This young man seems to be enacting a scene from ‘The Lone Ranger’. This was in London 1954.
![A Young Boy Wearing An Indian Headdress Hides In A Coal Hole And Takes Aim With A Toy Pistol, London, 1954 A Young Boy Wearing An Indian Headdress Hides In A Coal Hole And Takes Aim With A Toy Pistol, London, 1954](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/35_historical-children-playing-photography-16-589dbee8c7c26__700.jpg)
#17 A lady cop is playing with some kids in Harlem, 1978.
![Police Officer Playing With Children, Harlem, 1978 Police Officer Playing With Children, Harlem, 1978](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/5_historical-children-playing-photography-108-58a5bffff24a9__700.jpg)
#18 Two young gentlemen read their “papers” on the corner in 1952.
![Two Boys Engrossed In Their Comic Books, Outside On The Street, 1952 Two Boys Engrossed In Their Comic Books, Outside On The Street, 1952](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/97_historical-children-playing-photography-8-589dbedf05486__700.jpg)
#19 Who’s afraid of a little water?
#20 This young man is having fun with two tiny friends in Lynwood, California 1954.
![Ten-Year-Old Martin Witter Watches Two Snails Race In His Home In Lynwood, California, 1954 Ten-Year-Old Martin Witter Watches Two Snails Race In His Home In Lynwood, California, 1954](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/43_historical-children-playing-photography-107-58a5be693b3cd__700.jpg)
#21 Stepping lively, a nun taps and turns about with two young boys on St. Patty’s Day in Ireland 1964.
![Nun Dancing With Children On Saint Patrick's Day, Ireland, 1964 Nun Dancing With Children On Saint Patrick](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/79_historical-children-playing-photography-58a44d032f9b5__700.jpg)
#22 Here are a couple of girls not content to swing low to the ground, but rather to soar!
#23 Here is a musical tuba duo playing enthusiastically in New York 1940s.
![Tuba Players, New York, 1940s Tuba Players, New York, 1940s](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/4_historical-children-playing-photography-11-589dbee60cd33__700.jpg)
#24 A couple of girls from Southam street London demonstrate their prowess in gymnastics in 1956.
![Girls Doing Handstands, Southam Street, London, 1956 Girls Doing Handstands, Southam Street, London, 1956](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/49_historical-children-playing-photography-102-58a5b92bc19f8-2-58ac1b709823d__700.jpg)
#25 This girl in Paris 1975, looks like a miniature Marylin Monro.
![The Little Marilyn, Paris 1975 The Little Marilyn, Paris 1975](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/48_historical-children-playing-photography-58a41781c32d9__700.jpg)
#26 Three boys survey a canal in operation here in Paris 1950.
![Children Playing With Paper Boats, Paris, 1950 Children Playing With Paper Boats, Paris, 1950](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/94_historical-children-playing-photography-33-589dbf0f23872__700.jpg)
#27 This young lass is rendered weightless by her two invertedly inclined pals here in Finchley, North London 1954.
![This Girl From Finchley, North London, Shows No Fear Of Being Dropped By Her Two Friends As They Play, 1954 This Girl From Finchley, North London, Shows No Fear Of Being Dropped By Her Two Friends As They Play, 1954](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/3_historical-children-playing-photography-59-58ac1a6f80c4b__700.jpg)
#28 Emergency responders spring into action, as a baby is discovered in dire need of medical treatment in South-east London 1940.
![Young Daughters Of Air Raid Wardens In South-east London Practising First Aid With The Aid Of Their Dolls, 1940 Young Daughters Of Air Raid Wardens In South-east London Practising First Aid With The Aid Of Their Dolls, 1940](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/94_historical-children-playing-photography-58a465798da2a__700.jpg)
#29 A Here a boisterous bunch of boys and girls make a house of hay in New York during the early 20th 19oos.
![A Group Of Children In The Middle Of A Haystack In A Field In Pawling, New York, Early 20th Century A Group Of Children In The Middle Of A Haystack In A Field In Pawling, New York, Early 20th Century](http://www.ntd.tv/assets/uploads/-000//1/58_historical-children-playing-photography-58a45810d3586__700.jpg)