I was born in the Bronx in the late 1960s, and although I only lived there until I was five years old, I still have such fond and enduring memories of my years there, like when my father gathered everyone on the block to watch my older sister “look-both-ways” before crossing the street. Only in New York City would learning how to cross the street be considered a rite of passage—a time-honored tradition that all my friends looked forward to and something I sadly missed out on once my family moved to the burbs.

Though my time in the city was short, the thing I remember most was the good, clean fun we had playing a variety of street games that didn’t require much more than a little imagination. Whether it was hopscotch, red rover, kick-the-can, or ringolevio, we stayed outside until the street lights came on, at which time we all scurried back home in time for supper. Hot summer days were especially memorable thanks to peddlers who rolled through on foot with snow cones and frozen coquitos, refreshing treats that were only outdone by the ice-cold waters of a busted fire hydrant.

Thankfully, leaving the Bronx didn’t mean we left the fun behind. My brothers wasted no time teaching their new friends how to make go-carts out of milk crates and training wheels that were the envy of the neighborhood, and I’m convinced we were the ones who brought skully to the locals like Prometheus brought fire to mankind. Of course, it wasn’t very long before our newfound celebrity wore thin, and us city slickers were running through the woods, climbing up trees, and fishing in a nearby pond with rods made out of broomsticks.

When you think about it, it didn’t matter where you grew up back in the day. Children of the ’60s and ’70s found a way to make their own fun, especially if they came from humble beginnings. Life before cable, computers, cell phones, and the Internet meant you stayed indoors less and used your imagination more—and there’s no question that’s helped us Gen Xers become the innovative and industrious adults we are today. Don’t you think?

I’d love to know where you grew up and what kinds of games you played back in the day.