Many pastimes have survived over the years, while others are havebeen lost in the "sandboxes" of time.
In the neighborhood where I grew up warm weather meant one thing: wiffle ball!
We played in the street and our "field" was makeshift at best. First and third bases were trees near the curb; home plate and second base were chalked on the pavement. If no one brought chalk, the nearest stick or hunk of cardboard would do.
I'll never forget the regular yell of "car!" that halted play until it passed or the "infamous two-strike wait" as it was known in our neighborhood for kids who got two strikes and then became statues for the next 15 minutes. And, the game ended when the streetlights came on, of course.
In this gallery, we'll look at a variety of things folks in New Jersey have done to enjoy themselves in their leisure time. While some of the pictured activities continue, it's important to note how many games are being lost in the "sandboxes" of time.
MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey
Recently, my 18-year-old son and I were traveling in Toms River and saw a sign for a playground that depicted a child on a seesaw. John commented as we passed the park that we were gypped; there was no seesaw on the playground. Then he said, "To tell the truth, I've never actually seen a seesaw except in pictures."
I suppose we can chalk that up to a litigious society. But I'm happy to say that my childhood was filled with seesaws, monkey bars and those things that went around in circles. And, no one got hurt, for the most part.
Another thing that isn't seen much anymore is a coin-operated ride in front of a store. In my youth, they seemed to be everywhere -- horses, helicopters, spaceships and anything else that could be made to rock back and forth for a dime or a quarter.
Then again, my family may have had something to do with their disappearance. About 15 years ago, my daughter wanted to ride one at a local store and my wife dropped a coin in the slot. The horse reared back and ... smashed store's plate glass window. No one was hurt and no one was sued, but it's safe to say Stephanie's interest in such rides ended that day.
Here's a gallery of games people played in days gone by in New Jersey. Be sure to have captions enabled to find out more about each photo. Can't get enough? Here's a link to last year's gallery.
Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.