FILMS AND THEATRE (February)

Were you ever in a play at school e.g. Nativity or an end of year performance. Have you ever performed on a stage. Can you describe your costume. Did the performance run smoothly.

Did your parents take you to the theatre to watch a children’s show or pantomime. Did you shout from the audience. Did you have home movies.

Did you ever put on a performance with a few friends’ e.g. singing or a magic show. Did you enjoy dressing up and make believe.

Did you watch films which were rated above your age. Saturday matinee. Films that left an impression.

 SPORTING ACTIVITIES (March)

Were any of your relatives interested in a sport, either participating or watching. E.g. Dad watching football or playing darts.

School - Did you enjoy PE/ sport at school. Did you try and get out of doing these lessons? Were you in any teams? Sports day at school – which events did you enter. Did you enjoy sporty playground games? Football, skipping, chasing etc or did you prefer chatting with friends. Did you have swimming or lifesaving lessons?

 Out of school - Go Karts, Roller skates, Scooters, walking on stilts, Gymnastics Walking on your hands, Wheelbarrow races, Tug of war. Did you ever get scraped knees or other injuries.   Winning an award/prize. Learning to ride a bike, Learning to skate.

 JOBS. (April)

What did your Dad/ Grandad do to earn a living? Did your Mum/Grandma work? Did you have to move house because of parents’ work.

Earning pocket money, Saturday jobs, Paper rounds, Did you get money for chores in the house. If so, how much. Did you have weekly jobs at home. Which ones did you like and which did you hate? Did you argue with your siblings about household chores?

 What did you want to be when you grew up? What made you choose your future career. Do you have any regrets? What was your first day at work like?

PLAYING (May)

Playing playground games. Jacks. skipping rhymes. Tiggy. Playing with my best friend. standing on swings, witches hat, scraped knees and elbows. Playing conkers, throwing leaves, climbing trees., Rolling down a hill, Building a snowman/igloo.  Snowball fights. Sledges.

Playing in a treehouse. Making dens. Card and board games. Made up games and imaginary play. Hide and Seek. Making toys, paper boats.

Model making, Doing magic tricks, Having a chemistry /train set, Keeping a scrap book, Reading  books

Completing your own project Press flowers in a book Making a crayon leaf rubbing. First/favourite toys. spinning tops, cuddly toys.

 LEARNING WITH PARENTS (June)

Working with Mum, Auntie or Grandma - What skills did you learn – baking/cooking, mending. Knitting, sewing etc. Jobs – podding peas, dusting, polishing, drying the pots, brushing the steps. Have you passed any of these skills on to the next generation. Were you expected to do these jobs or did you have a choice.

Working with Dad, Grandad, or Uncle – Working with wood, weeding the garden, mending broken toys. Making models, working on the car or cleaning it, feeding pets/ chickens. Did you get paid for doing jobs.

 ENCOUNTERS WITH NATURE (July)

Ponds - Catching frogs, newts, tadpoles. Feeding ducks, Pond dipping. Seaside rock pools.

Woods -Playing with leaves and climbing trees. Leaf and bark rubbings. Using a rope swing in the woods.

Rivers - Stepping stones. Did you ever fall in a lake or river. Damming or paddling in streams. Skimming stones. Catching tiddlers. Did your family have picnics in the countryside. Picking blackberries. Foraging. Picking bluebells/wildflowers.

Did you ever grow anything from seed or help in the family garden. Filling Bird feeders. Were you ever bitten by an insect or any other wildlife. Starting a campfire building dens boating. Making rose petal perfumes Flying a kite, Wade in a stream Telling ghost stories around a campfire. Going in a cave. Swinging on a rope.

FOOD (September)

 What food/recipes did your Mum or Grandma cook that you don’t eat now? Do you still have some of their recipes or recipe books? What was their speciality? Do you remember disasters such as soggy cakes or burnt pies. Foods you hated or loved as a child. Were you made to eat all your dinner? Do you remember eating a food for the first time?  Did you help to prepare the food or set the table? Were you expected to wash up?  Did you always have a Sunday dinner? Did your family ever have fish and chips or  other takeaways? Do you still use Mum or Grandma’s recipes. Did your parents grow their own food. Did you help with podding peas? Do you remember eating out for the first time?  Baking with Mum or Grandma.

MUSIC (October)

Childhood songs you remember. Making a musical instrument. Musical toys. Learning to play a musical instrument (recorder) Do you remember singing lessons at school? Did you play other instrument. Piano, violin. What grades did you get to@

Buying your first album/single. Do you remember your favourite song . Seeing your favourite band or artist live.  Your first record player. Listening booths in record shops. Do you remember the price of a single. Music that left a lasting impression. Were you in a choir.  Did you enjoy dancing? Was it ballroom or The Twist. Did you watch Top of the Tops or Ready Steady Go. Do you still have a collection of records.

ANIMALS (November)

Pets.- Were you expected to help look after them. Did they ever get up to mischief. Did you enjoy a visit to the pet shop. Encounters with wild animals – do you remember your first visit to the zoo. Which animal impressed you the most. Were you ever taken to the circus and seen performing animals. Was there a farm near where you lived.

 CLOTHES (December)

Hand me downs. Handknitting /crochet garments. Latest fashions. Did your parents approve of miniskirts or other fashion items? How did your parents/ grandparents’ dress. When did you start using makeup or start using deodorant. Can you remember your first jewellery item. Did you back comb your hair? Did your Mum approve of the way you dressed, having your ears pierced, wearing makeup. Special occasions Going shopping for your own clothes. Visits to the hairdressers or did your parents cut your hair.