Pie Face–a trip down memory lane

Today I took a trip down memory lane. I wrote a post for Soul Blossom Kids about body geography. (Which is knowing where your different body parts are, basically). But whenever I think of body geography, I think about the game, Operation. I used to love that game.

A trip down memory lane–remembering the games of my childhood

This led me to think about all of the weird games I liked when I was a kid. I wrote a list poem below with the names of all the games I could remember. I didn’t own them all–some, like the Chinese restaurant game and operation–I played at friends’ houses.

Pie Face Game

My favorite game that I remembered was Pie Face, which I was surprised to see is still around. I’d asked for it for my birthday one year, probably in mid-grade school. You play it just like in the photo above. It comes with a sponge that you can put either whipped cream or shaving cream on. Then you put your chin in the chin rest and your face in the hole. You turn the little turning thing however many times you get on the spinner. Then at some point, someone gets a pie in the face.

I loved that game, but as I recall, I had a hard time getting anyone to play it with me. Can’t imagine why! Especially after the sponge turned kind of blackish-green–probably because I didn’t rinse out the whipped cream well enough.

I told my mom about this game. She didn’t remember it at all. But we both laughed really hard as I described the game to her. When I told her they still make it, she did offer to buy me a new one–even though I lost the last one. How nice of a mom is that?

The poem/list–games I loved/liked/found on memory lane

cuisineaire rods–actually, I couldn’t stand these–adding colors made no sense to me (see poem below)

mosquito larvae–not really a toy, but I collected them from the wading pool thinking I’d found tadpoles. this one didn’t have a happy ending.

color triangle game–not it’s real name, but I loved it

a real football–my birthday present before or after Pie Face. I could throw a great spiral

incredible edibles–totally disgusting, but fascinating

creepy crawlies–made in a little oven, I remember the smell of cooking plastic

Pie face–because what’s more fun than getting a pie in your face!

operation–I remember the buzzing sound when I tried to remove the funny bone.

chinese restaurant game–probably not what it was called, but it’s where I learned to use chopsticks

kreskin’s esp–you probably can sense what I’m thinking about this one

a magic kit–another birthday wish come true. hours of fun

card tricks I wish I remembered–they were really cool, but I don’t remember any of them

skittles–the game, not the candy–whirling wooden tops through some kind of maze, as I remember

twister–right hand blue, left foot red

spirograph–round and round, making fun pictures

ouija board–actually I always found this kind of creepy. Whose talking, anyhow

mystery date–Open the door and find your mystery date. I always liked the scuzzy looking guy

Cooties–little ant-like things that you stuck pieces on, kind of like

Mr. Potato Head (and the Mrs.)–I loved them both and probably lost all of the pieces in short order

Tiddly winks–a good old-fashioned game

Jacks–a long-time favorite

chinese jump rope–I don’t remember how you do it anymore, but I did like playing it with my friends in the court

circle ball–another game to play in the court at the end of our block–for hours!

probe–I still like spelling games

yahtzee–don’t think I ever won, but I liked playing with all the dice

ping pong–we got a table for Hannukah one year. I was pretty good at it for a while (a really long time ago)

pick up sticks–still like this one

slinkies (they walk down stairs, alone or in pairs)–Yes, I still remember the ad and the sound they made went they moved

push lawn mower with the colored wooden balls inside–I loved the sound of this one, too

my toy box –much to my mom’s annoyance, what I liked to do best was take everything out and sit inside. I still remember that pressed wood smell

The dreaded cuisineaire rods–another stop on memory lane

When I was in first grade, a couple times a week, they rolled in the big cart with the cuisineaire rods. It was supposed to be a fun, visual way to learn math. But I couldn’t stand them. I understood that 2 reds were the same length as one blue (or whatever the specifics were–I don’t remember that part). But I refused to add colors on the mimeographed worksheets. Colors just don’t add up to become other colors. I must have been annoying at that point. I was definitely stubborn.

And the pink cat

My teacher used to give us mimeographed coloring pages to color when we finished our work. And I always finished fast–perhaps so I could color.

One day, she gave me a picture of a kitty to color in. I colored it pink and went back for another picture.

“Cats aren’t pink,” she told me. “Go back and color that cat the right color.”

“I know cats aren’t pink,” I told her. “But I can color it pink if I want to.”

She wouldn’t and I wouldn’t, so I just sat in my chair until it was time for whatever was next. (I wrote about the pink cat a few years ago–it’s become a symbol for me of honoring children and artistic freedom)

My trip down memory lane to visit the cuisineaire rods and the pink cat inspired this poem–

Disclaimer: I’m sure that cuisineaire rods are a great learning tool for some kids. They just weren’t for me.

The anti-ode to cuisineaire rods

Tell me one plus one makes two,
 And just like that, I believe you.
 But red plus red plus red make blue?
 That, my friend, is never true.

 There's no such thing as a pink cat?
 Not in real life, I'll give you that.
 But who will catch my bright green rat?
 Without imagination, life goes flat.

How do we honor the rainbows that shine
from every child's beautiful mind?
Let them know that they are fine
Even if they color outside the lines.

That's it for today--thanks so much for stopping by.
Laura Shovan hosts Poetry Friday this week--she shares a lovely post inspired by Amanda Gorman, the inspiring poet who spoke at the inauguration this week. Check it out!
And in the meantime, whether you're wandering down memory lane or relaxing at home--or doing anything else--I hope you have a wonderful week.
xoxo