Yesterday the kids next door found a new way to amuse themselves during the summer.

Watching them brought back memories of how we used to amuse ourselves during the 1950’s when the weather was oh so hot. In the city, we roller skated for hours around and around the block. We played hopscotch on the quiet streets. We went to the park and chased each other around blowing bubbles. We got our dads to set up the sprinkler on the hose so we could run through it. And we did a lot of laughing.

These days kids’ toys are much more sophisticated. First they sit around inside with their devices and watch Youtube or play video games. Some of the older ones create videos and games themselves. Then they go on to make millions of dollars by the time they’re 19.

But most of the kids eventually get sent outside by their caregivers. After some complaining, they get on their brand new bikes decked out with bells and streamers and baskets, and they ride around the neighbourhood, dodging oncoming traffic. After they have given several drivers heart attacks they go home and switch to their new scooters – with tiny motors! Ah that’s more like it – no peddling, just steering and veering.

One neighbourhood boy of about 8 made up a new game of coasting on his motorized scooter down the driveway directly onto the street. The game was to see if he could avoid being hit by a car. After all, he was wearing a helmet; he waw invincible! I watched in horror as this game commenced. Then the boy had a close call. A car screeched to a halt and the scooter wobbled to a stop. The driver tore off, shaking his fist in the air! I went over to the boy and told him in a stern voice that he must stop playing this stupid game before he got killed. I even said something corny like “We don’t want our lovely neighbourhood to be spoiled by the vision of a child lying dead on the road.”

Suddenly the father appeared out of the garage and gave me a “mind your own business” kind of look. Then he sauntered over to the boy, patted him on the back, and said “Maybe you should find something else to do, alright son?”

OK so in hindsight that was not my best teachable moment. I could have talked to the boy with more empathy. I could have sent some road safety videos to his device. I could have borrowed a traffic guard uniform and taken up duty at the end of his driveway. I could have bought myself a motorized scooter and followed him around the neighbourhood, calling him a naughty boy.

But I digress. What I really wanted to tell you about was the kids next door, Hudson and Jade. These kids and their parents have somehow found the perfect outside activity. Another, richer, family had discarded a trampoline and left it on the driveway for the garbage collectors. Apparently it was in great shape – they just had other plans for the space in their back yard. Hudson and Jade’s parents dragged it across the street and into their back yard. They bought a new safety net to cover it and voila the kids were in business.

Those kids are on that trampoline all the time. They jump in shorts, in jeans, in snowsuits, and in Hallowe’en costumes. They jump with each other, with friends, and even occasionally with their dad. They have made up all sorts of tricks including: bouncing alternately on legs and then knees, doing random twists, executing somersaults, and figuring out synchronized moves together. They even make up appropriate noises to go with each trick. “look out! yowie! blasting off! somersault special!”

But last weekend on a hot day, they figured out the best one so far. They got out the sprinkler and aimed it at the centre of the trampoline. Voila – a bouncing splash pad!

Oh to be young again…

Sue