Local Life

Retro Leaving Fall to the Neighborhood Kids

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The Fair Haven Croft kids take a fall tumble into the leaves on Parker Avenue
Photo/Jack Croft

Leave it to the 60s playtime experts — literally. Don’t try this at home. It’s pretty likely that parents this era are looking at this retro fall Fair Haven scene in horror.

It was pretty status quo back in the 1960s, though. Kids getting into the pile of fall leaves swept onto the street by their parents — or maybe them as well. It was always too tempting a playtime treat — a good toss of or tumble in those fall leaves. Yes, it’s now officially fall and the leaves will soon turn and drop. Then comes what to do with all the leaves.

Back in the day, the solution was simple. The kids helped rake all the leaves in a big ol’ pile on the lawn or in the street and then … they jumped into it and tossed them around. Neatness and blowers be damned. It was just far too irresistible — that big pile of leaves. And in those days way before computers, gaming and a pile of after school activities, raking and jumping in the leaves was all the rage. All kids fell hard for the simple fall fest in their own front yards … or streets.

And a fest it was. Kids nowadays probably wonder why the fuss over a pile of crispy leaves. Well, leave it to kids of the 60s to find the most inane of uses for pure pleasure. There’s just something innately fun about diving in and messing something up. It puts a smile on any kid’s face — even adult kids at heart.

And, hey, it kept a pile of them occupied. Of course, we’re not recommending that anyone take this retro pile jumping to the streets. That was banned a while ago when it became quite dangerous with too much traffic, large vehicles and drivers driving right into the piles when they’re not supposed to.

So, fall back into the carefree, simple fun time with us and three of the Croft kids over on Parker. Take a leap … in your front yard for old time’s sake.

Dive in! Leave! … Something like that.

Were you a kid leaf raker, jumper or tosser? Favorite? The daydreamers used to love to toss them from the pile and watch them rain down in fall technicolor.

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